A Sourcebook for

Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition

 Credits Special Thanks
Developer:Travis Legge Scott Ashcraft, Mary Diamond, Mike Diamond,
Consulting Developer:Terry Skochko Robinson Corey Frang, Lewis Harris, Tony Kurtz, Bill Phillips, Dan
McDorman, Alejandro Rodriguez, David A. Rodriguez,
World of Darkness Line Developer: Matthew
Cat Stark, Jason ssg, and Chris Sweeney. The years of
Dawkins
late nights at Denny’s with coffee, dice, and the best
Writers:Bek Andrew Evans, Drew Kuehndorf,company a guy could ask for have paid off. Thank you
Travis Legge, Conri Purcell, Charles Siegel all for teaching me storytelling.
Editor:Richard Stratton
Art:Alex Ngo, Nicholas Phillips, Skan Srisuwan
Art Director:
Maria Cabardo
Creative Director:
Richard Thomas

© 2022 PARADOX INTERACTIVE AB.

All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written consent of the publisher is expressly
- forbid
den, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced
for personal use only. Mage: The Ascension, and the World of Darkness are registered trademarks
of Paradox Interactive AB (publ). All rights reserved.
Visit World of Darkness online at www.worldofdarkness.com
2 Sorcerer
 I latch the door to my family’s peristyle behind me, exhaling a ragged breath. Sweat drips
down my forehead.
The spirits had whispered in my dreams that someone, no something would come for me soon.
The omens reeked of death and clanked like heavy chains. I hadn’t realized what the spirits
warned of would find me so soon.
My hands shake, and pain wells up from my twisted ankle, but I push through it and gather
what I need from storage. I throw on my white dress, take off my shoes, pull my hair under a blue
scarf, and tie a red sash around my waist.
Ain’t never called a Lwa to ride me alone. I’ve always had my aunt and mentor, Mambo
Estelle, to guide me. My instinct is to seek help from my patron, Ezili Dantor. Maybe there’s a
more appropriate Lwa to call for this, but I fear I don’t have time to wake Mambo Estelle to ask. I
been followed, and I can’t have them followed or worse. And I can’t just wait around and hope it
leaves me alone.
I start by pulling from a sack of flour and outlining Ezili Dantor’s vevé on the floor. It quickly
takes the shape of an intricate heart with daggers through it. I check the book’s diagrams to be sure
I got it right. I’ve done this part before, I should know well what I’m doing, but in the moment I
feel clueless.
I place an offering of gold rings, knives, Florida Water, and sweet red wine on the altar. I
freeze when deciding which drum would be best. My heart’s still pounding in my ears.
Come on, Anaïsa, you know this. You can do this.
I choose the first drum I see. Ain’t got time for hesitation; this’ll have to do. I begin drumming
the beat with my bare hand and the wooden hammer. Stray specks of flour dance on the drum
head. I let the passion move me as I sing. I sing her praises, her story as a protector of women, her
fiery vengeful anger and passion to right wrongs. She who sparked the Haitian Revolution, who
inspires others to take initiative for change.
Before long, it’s no longer me in control of my body. I’m just a passenger, barely aware of the
voyage. I feel her radiant warmth as she stops drumming.
She smiles at the alter and slips on one of the rings. Ezili Dantor drinks deep from the wine,
and it doesn’t cloud my head.
“Chile’,” her voice is deeper than mine and spilling over with wisdom I ain’t got yet. “I’m here
for you, my chile’.”
She takes the largest dagger in her hands and inspects it. “Ain’t sharp enough, won’t do you no
good. Let Mama help.”
Ezili Dantor crouches down to the floor and strikes expertly at a rock, sending sparks flying.
The slashes start to form a design I can’t yet make out amidst all the little flashes. I smell burning
cotton from sparks singeing my ritual dress, but it causes me no pain.
Ezili Dantor twirls the knife in her hand and slashes with the other side, too. I feel her smile as
she admires her work.
“This is for you, my chile’. You’re young, but your will is strong. You won’t be broken so
easy.”
I drop to my knees as Ezili Dantor leaves my body. I scramble for the newly sharpened dagger
and steel myself with gritted teeth. Even so, unshed tears sting my eyes.
Letters carved into the whetstone, deep and clearly written, briefly glow red as they cool.
THEY WILL BURN IN YOUR VENGEANCE
 Something slams against the door. The latch buckles. I’m out of time.
They’re here.

Introduction:
Sorcerers and
Seers
The world of Mage: The Ascension 20th To the uninitiated, their tools and results are
Anniversary Edition is a dark virtually indistinguishable; however, each of these
reflection of our own. The shadows of the World of character types manifest their power in vastly
Darkness run a bit deeper, cast a bit longer, and are far
different ways.
more dangerous, as they house supernatural horrors
with inhuman appetites and arcane agendas. While Sorcerer provides rules, character options, and
most humans make their way through life under the setting information about hedge wizards and
comforting blanket of ignorance, unaware of the true psychics in the World of Darkness. While characters
nature of the world, there are some who bravely delve employing the powers and abilities detailed in this
into the darkness, seeking to understand and control book are undoubtedly magical, their powers do not
the powers that lurk there. Arcane scholars, medicine
workers, and monster hunters alike pursue secrets of
carry the life-shattering and mind-bending risks, nor
the supernatural for various reasons. Some, motivated reach the reality altering heights of true magick.
by altruism or morality, seek to protect themselves and
their communities from threats both supernatural and
mundane. Others seek power for its own sake, aiming
Hedge Wizards
to exert control over the world around them regardless Though they refer to themselves and their
of the cost. A rare few, born with insights and gifts that practices by an array of names, Sorcerer refers to
open their minds to the otherworldly, suffer with those who use hedge magic as hedge wizards.
terrible, inescapable awareness of the true nature of the Unlike mages, who alter reality on a fundamental
world. level with their arts, hedge wizards work within the
Mage players and Storytellers are familiar confines of reality, crafting magical effects that
with these concepts and setting elements. One operate on established, calculable, and predictable
could easily assume that the preceding text is principles. Most hedge magic is less flashy and
about mages. The reality-bending, magick- bombastic than true magick, but that doesn’t mean it
wielding protagonists of Mage share similar is weak or easily dismissed. A proficient and
origins, goals, and methods with the characters knowledgeable hedge wizard can achieve staggering
featured in M20 Sorcerer. An outside observer effects with their workings, given sufficient time and
would be hard pressed to spot the difference resources. Some hedge wizards become embroiled in
between a mage, hedge wizard, and a psychic the conflicts and conspiracies of the Ascension War.
using their abilities. Drawn to practices and philosophies they recognize,
these
6 Sorcerer
 Custos, Linear Mages, and Static Mages
Since their introduction in the first edition World of Darkness books, hedge mages have
appeared under several names. In this book, we refer to them as hedge wizards or
magicians for system purposes. In the game world they go by all manner of names,
including mage, wizard, sorcerer, medicine worker, priest, wise man, wise woman, shaman,
and so on. Any term a mage might use for themselves could also apply to a hedge wizard.
Mage Revised and Sorcerer Revised introduced a setting conceit that further muddied this
nomenclature, as many of the Disciples remaining in the wake of the Avatar Storm did not
know or care about the difference between hedge magic and true magick. After all, hedge
wizards worked spells and used foci, so that was enough to earn the title of mage.
M20 Sorcerer operates under the assumption that the differences in how hedge magic and
true magick interact with the world are sufficient that even the lowliest initiate of the
Spheres can easily spot the difference between the two. Sphere magick alters reality on a
fundamental level, bringing it in line with the Awakened mage’s will. Hedge magic calls
upon established metaphysical truths to achieve effects that conform to the limitations of
earthly reality. An Awakened onlooker should have no issue spotting the difference,
provided they scrutinize the hedge wizard’s effects with Sphere perceptions active.
If you are using the Revised era metaplot options and wish to blur the lines between hedge
magic and true magick at your table, you may do so. This might require a little extra work
from the Storyteller to justify the ongoing confusion given the mechanical nature of how
each practitioner achieves
and perceives their effects. Many hedge wizards shun secret societies
altogether and prefer solitary practice. Operating
outside the concerns of factions, Affiliations, and
other conspiracies of the World of Darkness, these
solitary practitioners pursue personal goals with
sorcerers join the Traditions, the Technocracy, or the
little care for the agendas of others. Occasionally,
Disparate Alliance to further their goals and expand
such solitary practitioners will band together into
their knowledge. Each faction’s mages maintain
covens or cliques with a handful of like-minded
different relationships with the hedge wizards within
individuals for mutual benefit and protection, but
their ranks. Some, such as the Technocracy and the
such arrangements rarely rise to the complexity or
Order of Hermes treat hedge wizards as capable
dogmatic nature of a secret society.
servants who can occasionally rise to the status of
trusted companion, but never that of equal. Others,
such as the Disparate Alliance or the Kha’vadi don’t Psychics
care about the differences between a hedge wizard Sorcerer also explores and explains psychic
and a true mage, treating the hedge wizards in their phenomena. These powers of the mind are inborn
company as equals with a slightly different skill set. abilities that the psychic struggles to control and
Other hedge wizards form their own secret understand. Often unwanted, dangerous, and
societies, based on common goals and practices. disturbing, psychic phenomena grant their user
Much like the Crafts, Conventions, and Traditions of access to incredible power stemming from within.
the mages, these hedge wizard Affiliations serve as To a layperson, this is simply another way to
social groups, political alliances, and sources of work magic, but to the psychic, these powers are
potential rivals for their members. These extensions of the self which can be
organizations provide the hedge wizard with simultaneously empowering and horrifying.
resources, tools, and knowledge, but come at the While psychics can and do join secret
cost of enemies, rivalries, and responsibilities. Each societies, they are more likely to become a subject
Affiliation is a secret society in its own right. of interest or study than an actual member. Those
Dismissing them as “lesser traditions” is both folly societies that focus on
and gross oversimplification.
7
 Introduction: Sorcerers and Seers 20. Each organization contains an overview
psychic power are often academic in nature, seeking to of scholars and scientists, while others shy away
from quantify and explore the capabilities and limitations becoming the subject of academia to avoid feeling
like a of psionic power. Some psychics revel in the attention lab rat. As a result, many psychics are lone
practitioners.

How to Use This Book

of the group’s history and practices as well
Sorcerer offers both players and Storytellers all the
as story seeds for working within the
information needed to incorporate hedge wizards and
psychics into your Mage: The Ascension chronicle. With bounds of a traditional Mage 20 story or
the materials herein, you could easily populate your for running a Sorcerer-focused chronicle.
stories with hedge wizard allies and antagonists, allow a
player to play a psychic, or even create a whole story • Chapter Four: Tools and Traits. This
featuring hedge wizards, psychics, or both! chapter includes rules for creating hedge
wizards and psychic characters. Sample
Sorcerer contains: magic items and new Merits and Flaws also
• Prelude A short story following a hedge appear, offering new options for players
wizard as they wrestle with doubt and fear and Storytellers.
while preparing a ritual.
• Introduction. This section, which provides The Wider World of
an overview of M20 Sorcerer.
Darkness
• Chapter One: Hedge Magic. This chapter Sorcerer is a Mage: The Ascension book and
contains the core rules for hedge magic, views the World of Darkness from the perspective of
revised and updated for compatibility with Mage 20. However, hedge wizards, psychics, and
Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary practitioners of Numina have appeared throughout
Edition. In addition to the basic rules for the World of Darkness. Although some elements of
hedge magic, this chapter details several the wider world don’t appear in these pages, the
Paths and rituals for your hedge wizards to rules and abilities introduced in this book can easily
employ. fit with any organization or group that offers
Numina.
• Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena. This
chapter explains the core rules for psychic Lore of the Night-Folk
phenomena and provides a wide selection When interacting with the supernatural elements
of abilities found among psychics in the of the World of Darkness, hedge wizards and
World of Darkness. psychics must frequently rely on painful and
• Chapter Three: Practitioners. This dangerous lessons derived from personal experience.
chapter details numerous organizations of While Affiliations such as the Arcanum have access
hedge wizards and psychics. Groups to extensive lore and libraries, their knowledge of
originally introduced in World of Darkness the powers and capabilities of most supernatural
Sorcerer and Sorcerer Revised, as well as creatures is dangerously incomplete. Contradictory,
scholarly groups such as the Arcanum are confusing, or flat-out inaccurate lore regarding
updated to conform to the events, Night-Folk has led many hedge wizards and
presentation, and setting elements of Mage psychics to their untimely demise, as they

Difficulties, Hedge Magic, and Psychic Phenomena

Hedge magic and psychic phenomena function within the boundaries of reality. Using these
Numina cannot reduce the difficulty of any roll below 3. For rolls at a difficulty of 9+
consider the optional rule of Thresholds (Mage 20 p. 387)

8 Sorcerer
mistakenly assumed they had the upper hand based Crossovers
on faulty research and poor preparation. Even the The rules presented in M20 Sorcerer are
most erudite scholar lacks basic understanding of the compatible with Mage 20. However, they’re also
social divisions, deep history, petty squabbles, or built on a foundation of independent function,
true capabilities of most Night-Folk. with the sorcerer’s knowledge and prowess
Those Affiliations that trace their origins to other creating exterior effects which resolve normally.
supernatural beings view the Night-Folk through the Once the sorcerer successfully uses a Path or
lens of their own histories and make assumptions phenomena, the traits used to adjudicate its effects
accordingly. The Children of Osiris can draw are universal among the World of Darkness 20th
historic connections from their practice to vampires, Anniversary Edition game lines. A hedge wizard
but they’re unlikely to know the difference between may use a Hellfire ritual to engulf her sword in
Clan, sect, or coterie. The Order of the Golden Fly flames, but the way those flames interact with her
draws power from an angelic being they inaccurately opponent requires no change whether they fight a
believe they’ve successfully bound. That belief vampire, a changeling, or a wraith. Keep this
invites blind spots born from bad assumptions when design ethos in mind when combining these rules
dealing with Night-Folk. In the World of Darkness with other World of Darkness games.
ignorance is deadly. Despite their strong emphasis
on scholarship, most Affiliations are woefully
ignorant when it comes to the Night-Folk.
Lone practitioners and unaffiliated covens lack
the support structures and history of large
Affiliations. As such they rarely have access to
Night-Folk lore. Unless their activities bring them
into conflict with Night-Folk, they’re unlikely to
know much more about vampires or werewolves
than any other inhabitant of the World of Darkness.

The Night-Folk View

Most Night-Folk lack understanding of hedge
wizards, seeing no difference between a hedge
wizard and a mage. From their perspective, both are
chanting mortals who summon ghosts, throw
fireballs, or lay curses.
Most Night-Folk don’t know and wouldn’t care
about the metaphysics behind the effect. In their
estimation a mage is a mage.
The Night-Folk often view psychics as
something different from mages. Scholarship and Introduction: Sorcerers and Seers
popular culture present psychic powers as
phenomena separate from magic and have done so
since the Victorian Age. Most Night-Folk accept
this point of view. Some Night-Folk seek psychics
to join their ranks, either as pawns or as targets for
elevation into their own ranks. The fact that some
mages use psychic trappings as part of their
practice blurs the lines between a psychic
practitioner and a mage. Few Night-Folk know to
look for a difference, let alone how to spot it.

9
Chapter One: Hedge Magic 11
 2, Kinfolk: A Breed Apart, and Ghost Hunters. These hedge wizards. If these Paths are brought into a
game Paths differ from the ones below in several minor ways, using the mechanics presented in this book,
characters most notably that the Paths outside this book have should use their own Attribute + chosen Path
Ability specified dice pools. This should be interpreted as repre- and make other modifications as necessary.
senting the specific techniques of those Fellowships and

Path Magic Core Rules

When a person begins studying taking 10 minutes per level of the ritual to cast. In
hedge magic, they choose a casting Attribute and both cases, the magician spends a point of
an Affinity Path from their Fellowship’s list. Willpower, then rolls their casting Attribute + Path
Unaligned hedge magicians may choose any Ability rating at a difficulty of the Path level + 4.
Attribute and Affinity Path. Upon learning a Path, This is referred to as a Path roll.
the magician must assign it to a practice (see If enough successes are rolled (see Aspects
Mage 20 p. 573586, and M20 Book of Secrets p. below), the spell succeeds as planned. If not, it fails.
196-205 for more information on practices and Changing a spell to a weaker version after casting
the Abilities associated with them) that due to lack of successes is impossible. On a botch,
determines how the magician goes about casting the caster suffers some catastrophic effect. Though
it. They also assign an Ability the Path is based hedge magicians aren’t subject to Paradox directly,
on. This Ability, in addition to being part of the their attempts to manipulate reality can still go
dice pool to use the Path, acts as a cap on the Path horribly wrong. Possible outcomes of botches are
rating. A character who uses Occult for the Path described in each individual Path listing.
of Hellfire cannot have Hellfire 5 with only
Occult 3. Spells
As an example, Eleanor is playing Petrus, a
Path magic effects, commonly referred to as
member of the Ancient Order of the Aeon Rite.
spells, are created using the following rules.
As a member, his casting Attribute is
Intelligence, so every time he casts a spell or
performs a ritual, Intelligence is that Attribute he
uses. Eleanor decides Petrus starts with two
Paths: Fortune and Alchemy. She chooses to
associate Fortune to the High Ritual Magick
Practice and Alchemy to the Alchemy Practice.
Looking through the Associated Abilities of those
practices, she decides that her dice pool for
Alchemy should be Intelligence + Esoterica
(Alchemy), and for Fortune it should be
Intelligence + Occult. These reflect that when
Petrus is mixing up tinctures and potions, he’s
acting like a traditional alchemist, but when he’s
working with blessings and curses, he’s instead
relying on general knowledge of superstitions.
Each Path is divided into spells and rituals.
Spells are relatively quick pieces of magic and can
be put together spontaneously when necessary.
Spells only take one turn per level of the Path being
cast. Rituals, on the other hand, are larger workings,

12 Sorcerer
Aspects Distance
Most Paths have several components associated These ranges are guidelines for populated
with them called Aspects. These are variables like regions. For less populated ones, the numbers may
the number of targets, the duration, or the amount of be doubled or even tripled. Distance is used for
damage done travel, movement, and remote effects. For effects
by a given spell. When the hedge magician casts a emanating directly from the hedge wizard, such as
combat
Awakened Hedge Magic spells,
Awakened mages and hedge magicians appear to achieve similar results by performing nearlyuse
identical actions. Both a Hermetic mage and a Hermetic hedge magician may activate the pentacleRange
of Mars to call down fire on their enemies. But while the mage channels Forces through the powerinstead.
of will, thereby risking Paradox, the hedge magician accesses Hellfire through formulae or faith.• Only
This dichotomy prevents the Awakened from ever learning hedge magic and causes hedgea few
magicians who Awaken to lose their Paths. Once a character Awakens, the linear Paths are barredfeet
to them. Their attempts to change the world are filtered through their Avatar, manifesting as•• Up
Sphere-based magick, rendering hedge magic impossible for them. to
spell, they must choose what level of each Aspect around
they want to include, with the default being zero — 20 feet
and therefore, no effect — in each. Hedge wizards ••• Up to 100 feet
can increase a given Aspect as high as the Path level, •••• Up to half a mile
and the highest Aspect determines the level of the
spell. When the spell is cast, it requires one success ••••• Up to five miles
for each rank in each Aspect. Spells may contain any Duration
of the general Aspects listed here, modified and • A few minutes
expanded by any Aspects listed in the Path’s
description. A hedge wizard only needs to purchase •• One scene
Aspects they require for the spell. A result of no ••• A day or two
effect purchased in one Aspect doesn’t impede any •••• A couple of weeks
other Aspect.
••••• Several months
Going beyond the fifth dot in an Aspect may be
possible but is the stuff of legend most magicians Number of Targets
never see, much less accomplish. • A single target
Area •• Two targets
• 1-foot radius ••• Up to 10
•• 3-foot radius •••• Up to 50
••• 6-foot radius ••••• Hundreds
•••• 12-foot radius ••••• Metaphysical Weight
25-foot radius • Simple creatures such as small, unintelligent
animals, most minor Gafflings and the
Damage/Healing smallest beings in the hosts of a heaven
For each level of this Aspect, up to two dice of or hell
lethal damage can be healed or caused. An
additional two successes spent on this Aspect •• Larger creatures such as bears or wolves,
converts the damage healed or caused to aggravated. more powerful Gafflings, ghosts that
have begun to learn to navigate their
existence but have no experience

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 13

 ••• Humans and truly intelligent beings, like Weight
most Jagglings, ghosts who can navigate • Less than an ounce
the underworld effectively, minor angels,
•• A few pounds
servitor demons, and notable elementals
••• Up to 100 pounds
•••• Enhanced humans like ghouls, kinfolk, and
other sorcerers, as well as powerful •••• Up to 1000 pounds
Jagglings, Umbrood Preceptors, and ••••• Large objects such as cars or elephants
infernal tempters can be moved
••••• Powerful beings such as the truly
supernatural (vampires, werewolves, Rituals
mages, fae, etc.), Incarnae, the barons of Though a hedge magician may cast spells
hell and the generals of the heavenly more quickly, for many, rituals make up the bulk
host of their practice. In exchange for taking longer to
Passengers enact, rituals can be significantly more powerful
• Yourself, but no clothing or equipment than spells of the same level. This additional
power can take one of three forms.
•• Yourself, your clothing, and a small amount
First, a ritual can empower the magician to
of stuff
attain a level of aptitude they cannot normally
••• Yourself and one extra person or equivalent access, permitting them to cast a spell as though
weight in stuff they had one additional rank of their Path. This
•••• Two passengers might manifest through a new expression of
power or by increasing Aspects beyond their
••••• Three passengers
usual threshold.
Range The second form of ritual expands the scope
• Touch only (requires a successful Brawl attack of the intended effect. Using a ritual grants the
if the target is unwilling) magician their Path Ability rating in additional
•• Less than 10 feet successes with which to purchase Aspects for the
spell, provided they achieve a success when
••• Less than 25 feet
performing the ritual.
•••• About 50 feet Finally, rituals can bring more power to bear
••••• Within 150 feet than spells by going beyond what the base spells
of the Path can achieve. These rituals express the
Sympathetic Connection
ultimate form of the Path by stretching the
• Direct physical contact
limitations of the Path.
•• True Name This allows the hedge wizard to create specialized
••• Body part, including blood, nail clippings, etc. and powerful effects within the Path’s purview.
•••• Prized possession The following Paths include lists of sample
••••• Any possession rituals. These lists are by no means complete, and
players and Storytellers are encouraged to come up
Travel Speed with their own rituals. Regardless of Path, rituals
• About three times faster than foot take 10 minutes per level to cast. All Paths that
•• Roughly driving speed include rituals also contain the following ritual:
••• Driving without speed limits or red lights Store Spell (•••••)
•••• Miles are covered in seconds With this ritual, the magician may store a single
spell in an object for later use. The hedge wizard
••••• Instantaneous travel determines a release trigger when casting this ritual,

14 Sorcerer
which can be anything from a spoken word or oneself from unwanted magic is as instinctual as an
gesture made with the object, to using a finger to eyeblink.
make rhythmic taps on a specific area of the object. Unweaving applies when a magician finds an
Once the trigger is set, anyone who knows and existing spell they want to remove from something
performs it can release the stored spell. This spell or someone. Here, they need to have the same Path
doesn’t count against the limits in Hanging Spells as the original caster for spells created through
below. However, this can only store a single spell at hedge magic or else a Path relevant to the sort of
a time. If Store Spell is cast on an object before a magic being unwoven. After choosing a relevant
previous spell is released from the object, the old Path, roll the hedge wizard’s dice pool for the
spell is lost. This ritual must be bought separately appropriate Path at difficulty 8. The hedge magician
for each Path. needs more successes than the original caster to
unweave the spell. Unweaving can be done as an
Complications extended action.
The systems above describe the basics of using By default, a hedge magician can use either sort
hedge magic. For many hedge magicians, things get of countermagic against other hedge magicians and
a bit more complicated. They often look for faster against Awakened magick, but nothing else. For
ways to cast their spells, to build more successes other sources of magic, they must have at least the
upon a ritual, or even to protect themselves from second rank of the relevant Lore/RD Data
enemy magics. Many of the following are optional Knowledge and then spend 3 XP. Possible types of
rules meant to give more flexibility, simplify magic to counter include vampiric magic
bookkeeping at the table, or keep hedge magicians in (Thaumaturgy, Necromancy, etc.), spirit Gifts and
check. Charms (including those given to shapeshifters), Fae
Cantrips, the powers of the dead, and psychic
Simplified Aspects phenomena, among others.
Aspects can be complicated, requiring
bookkeeping and making hedge magic cost many Hanging Spells
successes. Optionally, each Aspect can cost a single With how slow hedge magic can be, many
success to include at the hedge wizard’s Path rating magicians prefer to prepare their magic in advance.
rather than one success per rank. This makes hedge Powerful hedge magicians may use a ritual to imbue
magic more powerful but easier to keep track of. It a spell into an item, and Alchemists and Enchanters
also causes the primary cost of high Aspects to be can both prepare objects for later use, but every
the increased difficulty of the spell involved rather hedge wizard can attempt to hang a spell or ritual.
than the high number of successes required to attain Hanging a spell consists of the hedge magician
an effect. doing everything they need to in order to cast the
spell, but then stopping right before its completion.
Countermagic They then internalize the unfinished spell, holding it
Sometimes the most important thing for a hedge within awaiting rapid release at some point in the
magician isn’t to cast their own spell, but to stop or future.
unmake someone else’s. For that, there’s
countermagic. Countermagic comes in two varieties:
normal countermagic and unweaving.
When the target of some sort of magic, the
magician may roll the dice pool of their Affinity
Path at difficulty 8 to subtract successes from the
caster’s roll. If they reduce the incoming magic to
zero successes, then the magic is canceled. The
hedge wizard’s arcane foundation need not have
anything in common with the caster at all; defending

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 15

 Hanging a spell or ritual requires the hedge Quintessence
magician to spend a point of Willpower and at least Like the Awakened, hedge magicians can use
one point of Quintessence or dram of suitable Tass. Quintessence to make their magic easier.
They still roll the spell’s dice pool and note down However, they are less efficient than those with
details such as Aspects and their number of an Awakened Avatar. To reduce the difficulty of a
successes. Later, they can release the spell with only spell or ritual by 1 requires a hedge magician
a single turn’s effort, making these prepared spells spend two points of Quintessence. Even this is
much more useful in a tight situation. The downside impossible for many magicians, as they require
is that these spells take up a lot of mental space. For the Path of Quintessence Manipulation to use
every two spells the hedge magician hangs, they add Quintessence at all. Otherwise, it needs to be in
+1 difficulty to all rolls. the form of Tass, and only Tass with relevant
Witnesses Resonance works.
Hedge magic is easiest to accomplish far from Fast Casting and Extended Rolls
prying eyes. Obvious spells and rituals generally Sometimes, one turn per level of the spell

Mages and New Paths

While most new Paths are created by hedge magicians themselves, mages can also create them.
The process is arduous and resembles the creation of a Talisman (Mage 20 p. 652-653, Book of
Secrets p. 151158). However, the “Talisman” in this instance has an ephemeral form: the concept
of the Path. The mage must spend a similar amount of effort defining the Path as they would
creating a Talisman’s physical form, and then they must use Prime 5 to infuse this ephemeral
Pattern with magick.
The Technocratic Union particularly favors this method. They’ve built a pipeline wherein
Enlightened Scientists create fundamentally new science and then formalize it into Paths for
Extraordinary Citizens. Those Citizens then bring the Path out into the world, making the new
techniques first coincidental, and then mundane.
fail when performed in public, preventing a hedge being cast is just too slow. A magician may need
magician with the Path of Conjuration from to use Conveyance urgently to escape a charging
throwing a city bus at someone in the middle of werewolf, or Hellfire to fight off a vampire. When
town. It’s possible to overcome this effect, but the time is of the essence, the magician may attempt
larger the number of witnesses to a spell, the more to fast cast. Fast casting increases the difficulty by
challenging it is to manifest the magic. For the one for each turn being shaved off the casting
purposes of this chart, witnesses include anyone time for the spell. So, a Conveyance 3 spell to
considered a Sleeper. Remove successes when escape a dangerous situation has a +2 difficulty
calculating the final result of the spell or ritual as penalty to cast in a single turn, and using Hellfire
indicated on the chart. 5 to incinerate a vampire has a +4 difficulty,
making it nigh impossible.
Number of Witnesses Successes Removed If instead of trying to hurry, the hedge magician
1 1 takes their time to get things right, spells can be cast
2-5 2 as extended actions. This follows the usual rules
for extended actions (see Mage 20 p. 389-390).
6-10 3
Each roll beyond the first requires only a single
20-100 4 turn.
100+ 5 Teamwork
For spells and rituals of great scope, the
number of successes needed can be prohibitive.

16 Sorcerer
 One hedge magician, even with an extended leader, and all members must share a practice or the
action, may not be able to manage it. This is Ability they roll with them.
especially true at higher difficulties. Many hedge Once preparations are complete, the magicians
magicians solve this problem by working must spend the required 10 minutes/level of a ritual
together, creating more impressive spells and along with 10 minutes for each caster beyond the
rituals than they could accomplish alone. first. Each of the magicians must roll their dice pool
This sort of teamwork divides the hedge at the appropriate difficulty number for the level of
magicians into three groups. The first consists of the Path they are contributing. If all the casters
the leader, who must have the appropriate Path at succeed, the Greater Ritual goes off, and the
a high enough rank to be able to attempt the spell combined effect occurs.
on their own. The second group consists of the
assistants who have the Path — possibly at a Creating New Paths and Rituals
lower level — and either share the leader’s
Hedge magic may be a static discipline, but it
practice for it or their Path Ability. The third and
doesn’t stay the same. Paths fall out of favor and are
final group are hedge magicians who follow
lost, while clever hedge wizards develop new
instructions but cannot contribute their own
approaches over time. Most new Paths disappear
magic to the group.
relatively quickly, not spreading beyond the creator
Each hedge magician other than the leader or their immediate circle. But some end up lodging
and the first assistant increases the casting time themselves into the Tapestry, spreading beyond their
by one turn for a spell and 10 minutes for a ritual. creators as other practitioners independently work
The assistants in the second group, who can apply out their own methods for realizing identical
their mystical knowledge and skills, each make a outcomes. Rituals are much simpler. They don’t
Path roll. For each successful roll, the difficulty truly open new ground, being new configurations of
of the spell or ritual decreases by one, and for powers hedge wizards already have. They also
each botch it increases by two. Anyone involved spread over time, as one magician teaches another,
can spend Willpower to gain successes on the and just as commonly disappear when they stop
roll. being useful enough to transmit.
Once the spell or ritual is complete, the leader
makes their Path roll, with the difficulty modified
New Paths
by their assistants. If the roll succeeds, the spell The creation of a new Path is often the
or ritual goes off as expected. However, on a undertaking of a magician’s lifetime. Before they
botch, everyone involved in the casting suffers can even begin, they must have mastered a Path
the consequences, and often the consequences are completely. Until they do, attempts to blaze new
more severe than they would be for an individual trails fail miserably, but harmlessly. Once they
caster. master their first Path, however, they can truly begin
the long and demanding task of creating something
Greater Rituals new.
In addition to the usual methods of teamwork, The process begins with conceptualization.
clever and determined hedge magicians can use and Without a clear idea of what the Path does, the
develop Greater Rituals. Greater Rituals are the only magician can’t begin. They must decide if the Path
way for multiple Paths to be combined to achieve a has Aspects (and what they are) with each dot
single effect, and always require multiple magicians increasing the potency and diversity of the spells it
to work in concert. Each magician must contribute can cast, or whether there are a set of specific
the appropriate level of one Path, and each Path magics connected by a common theme. They
requires a distinct magician to cast it. Additionally, shouldn’t be too flashy and cannot be quick, those
all of the requirements for working together above both fall into the realm of Sphere magick. Instead,
must be satisfied by the group: There must be a new Paths are generally subtle, at least at first.

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 17

 Once the Path is clearly conceptualized, the successes on their roll, the ritual is created and
magician begins the actual work of establishing it. can be used and taught normally from there on
Research and experimentation is difficult and out. If the magician rolls six or more successes on
dangerous. Before acquiring the first dot, the a single roll, the ritual gains some additional
magician assigns their Path Ability for the new Path benefit: it may be treated as one level lower, have
a
Paths and Rituals shorter
casting
and rolls their dice pool once each month at
difficulty 8. They need to acquire a total of 25 time, or gain an additional, related effect.
successes before they can buy the first dot of their Alchemy
new Path. Failure means they simply made no
The study of transformation and purification,
progress; they may try again the next month.
Alchemy is an ancient art and science. Practitioners
Botches, however, taint the whole process, requiring
draw from disparate practices, both magical and
the magician to start over from scratch.
scientific, to understand the hidden properties of
The magician must do this whole procedure matter and the soul. The most traditional goal of
again for each dot until they have mastered the alchemy is not the more famous transformation of
new Path. For most, this process takes years to base matter into more “noble” counterparts — such
complete, and many hedge magicians give up as lead into gold — but rather the perfection of the
long before completion. For those few who alchemist.
manage to complete their new Paths, they can
As a Path, Alchemy creates one-use magic
cement it by spending a permanent point of
items and transformations. Many of the things it
Willpower. Once they do, they can teach it to
produces are meant to be ingested, though few
other hedge magicians, and it can even be
are made with taste or even the health and
rediscovered by others.
wellness of the consumer in mind. Alchemy also
New Rituals produces coatings that may be applied to the skin
Rituals are much easier to create than new or objects, and reagents that catalyze
Paths. For one, the magician only needs their Path transmutations of base elements into other matter.
rating to be higher than the rating of the ritual Though often studied as a means of
they are creating. A magician with Oneiromancy perfecting the soul, this pursuit is very much
4 could make a rank 3 ritual. Creating rank 5 bound up with actual Alchemical practice. Other
rituals requires mystical acumen usually relegated practices put their own spin on it: Practitioners of
to myth and legend and should be the focus of a Witchcraft call the Path Herbalism and focus on
story in and of itself. Hunting down a lost ritual is natural ingredients and effects related to them,
usually easier than creating a new one, as is while Hypertech engineers and tinkerers utilizing
finding someone to teach a particularly obscure Weird Science call it Advanced Chemistry, and
ritual. completely eschew the metaphysical implications
Once their Path rating is high enough to create the Alchemy practice places on the Path.
the ritual, the magician needs to spend a month In all cases, the Path of Alchemy is
per level doing research and experimentation expensive. For most versions of the Path, it
before they can attempt it. They then perform a requires a well-equipped laboratory and strange
single roll of their Path’s casting Attribute + ingredients. The most powerful Many
Ability dice pool at difficulty 9. On a botch, the applications of this Path have passed into legend.
ritual backfires (see individual Path write-ups for Few alchemists are known to have actually
details) and the magician must start the process completed the so-called “Great Work,” the
over from the beginning. A failure means they can creation of a Philosopher’s Stone, or any other
try again the next month, as does rolling only one product conducive to immortality, but most
or two successes. If they manage to achieve three masters of the Path make an attempt.

18 Sorcerer
 This Path has no spells. It does everything Duration: Effects last for a single scene unless
through rituals called recipes. otherwise noted.
System Effects: Alchemy doesn’t have Aspects; instead,
each dot increases the practitioner’s power and
Modifiers: Once the magician successfully control. Except for the most potent recipes, they only
follows a recipe three times, the difficulty is reduced require a single success to make. Additional
by one. successes are split between providing additional
Time: Alchemy takes longer to obtain results doses and keeping those doses potent for one day per
than most Paths. Recipes require one day per level to success spent.
prepare, but this can be shortened if the Path Ability
• Distillations at this level do not appear magical
exceeds the recipe level. Each dot of the Ability
in any way. These recipes are simply more
higher than the ritual level reduces the total time
advanced versions of extant chemicals and
spent by one day. If this would reduce preparation
concoctions,
time below one day, instead assume several hours of
work.
producing more potent painkillers, poisons,
applications require increasingly exotic components and extremely
glues, solvents, etc., and increasing the Toxin
specialized Tass. Though the Herbalism variant tends to be cheaper
in terms of money, it requires more Rating of the chemical by one (as per Mage 20 time and effort, with
p. 442). Higher Path levels can further alter
plants and fungi collected under strict conditions. the Toxin Rating,
increasing or decreasing the rating by one per dot.

What Happened to Herbalism?

In previous editions, specifically Ascension’s Right Hand and World of Darkness: Sorcerer, there was
a separate Path of Herbalism/Brewing. In Sorcerer Revised, this was merged into the Path of
Alchemy, and it remains so merged. Both Paths, as well as an implied but never published Path of
Advanced Chemistry, produce one-off magical effects and transformations. The primary differences
have to do with practice: Herbalism aligns best with the practice of Witchcraft, for instance, and
Advanced Chemistry with Hypertech. Mechanically, all three use the same systems, grouped under
the Path of Alchemy.

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 19

 •• Now the substances created let the imbiber normal human limit of five no longer applies.
exceed their usual physical limits. Any one ••••• The alchemist can now craft recipes that repro
-
Attribute can be increased by one dot, up to a duce up to three dots worth of supernatural
maximum of five, for the scene. Special prepa - powers. Each dot reproduced this way mimics a
rations can expand one’s mystical awareness, single effect — chosen when the recipe is crafted
mostly through induced dreams or hallucina - — even if the replicated power offers multiple
tions. These visions are left to the Storyteller’s effects. These are some of the hardest potions to
discretion and should remain cryptic and un- produce and require exotic components, such
certain. Visions attained at this level lack the as pieces of the supernatural being in question.
power of a system benefit and are included as
a narrative device. Price of Failure
: Working with volatile compounds
is dangerous in and of itself. Even mere failure results
••• Not only can the alchemist now enhance their in broken equipment and ruined reagents, requiring
targets beyond the normal capabilities of hu- expensive replacements. In the best-case scenario with
mans, but they can also grant low-level psychic an actual botch, the alchemical product explodes, poten -
abilities (see Chapter Two) for an hour at a time.tially damaging the magician (as well as their neighbors).
These psychic abilities begin at a single dot, More commonly, though, the botched recipe appears
but every additional two successes provides an to come together perfectly, but produces undesirable,
additional dot, to a maximum of the alchemist’sand possibly harmful, effects. Even an unexpected but
Path rating. benign effect can be catastrophic at the wrong time.
•••• Alchemists can bring about truly potent im- Sample Recipes
provements to living beings. They can increase
a single Attribute or Ability by two or two • A powder that enhances alcohol. The drinker
Attributes or Abilities each by one, and the must roll Stamina (difficulty 8) or spend a point

20 Sorcerer
 of Willpower or else fall asleep ••• A dust that reveals invisible objects or
immediately. They must try again (at a creatures and disrupts illusions.
difficulty of one less than the prior roll) •••• A metabolic accelerator that raises Strength
each turn until they fail, or the difficulty and Stamina by one each. Anyone who
drops below 3. Those affected sleep for takes it will be hungry during the time to
(10 - Stamina) hours. Vampires are fuel the change. This may increase
resistant, rolling at –2 difficulty and Attributes above 5.
rolling Stamina + Fortitude. Even if they
fail, they sleep for only ten minutes, •••• A regimen of drugs or potions that slows
minus one for each dot of Stamina or aging. For each year of life on this regimen,
Fortitude they possess. Werewolves in the user only
their natural form, however, are more ages one month. If they ever go off of it,
susceptible (difficulty +1). however, their age catches up at a rate of one
month per day until they die or resume the
• A cure for the common cold or flu, at
regimen.
least for 24 hours. It can also halve the
recovery time for the illness. •••• A salve that can be applied to the eyes to allow
the user to see through the Shroud for one
• A drug that lets the user ignore wound
night.
penalties up to the Injured level until
wounded again. •••• A bullet that bursts into flames on impact. It
does an additional two dice of fire damage
• A tonic that instantly sobers the drinker
and ignites anything it hits.
up, no matter how drunk they are.
•••• A powder that, when inhaled by mouth, gives
• A mirror that is nigh impossible to chip
an extra dot of Manipulation and Expression.
or break.
••••• A pungent chemical that drives back
•• An enhanced form of LSD that lets the taker
werewolves (and most humans, simply due to
either see a vision of the future or
the smell). When worn, any sort of
discover connections between disparate
shapeshifter cannot approach within ten feet
elements within the story. These
of the user. Of course, this only protects
relationships always appear in symbolic
against melee combat, they can still throw
form, making the visions difficult to
things, as some alchemists learn when they
interpret.
start taunting. Similar recipes exist for other
•• A potion that doubles the running speed of Night-Folk.
anyone who takes it. At the end of the
••••• A potion that mimics the physical prowess of a
scene, the user rolls Stamina (difficulty
vampire. The user gains an extra action, an
6) or feels out of breath for the next
automatic success on Strength rolls, and an
hour, suffering a +2 difficulty on all
extra soak die for the scene. They also have
physical rolls.
quite a temper and thirst for blood. Resisting
•• An energy drink that lets the user go an provocation or the opportunity to feed on an
entire week sleeping one hour per night. open wound requires a Willpower roll
••• An extremely strong, light, and easy to (difficulty 8).
work with metal alloy. It can retain an ••••• More directly, an elixir can be made using at
edge forever; melee weapons made from least five points of vampire blood to simulate
it do an extra die of damage and have –1 three dots of Potence for three hours. It leaves
difficulty to hit. Armor made with it the user desperately hungry and suffering
soaks an extra die of bashing and lethal from bloodlust as above.
damage.
••••• A powder that allows the consumer to heal
bashing and lethal damage at a rate of one

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 21

 level every other turn for the duration of a Attempting Conjuration to move a resisting target
story. This requires some werewolf fur incurs a +2 difficulty. Apply a –1 difficulty for an
and causes the user to sweat heavily and object well-known to the sorcerer (see also Object
smell like an animal in a cage, giving +1 Permanence below).
difficulty to all social rolls. Aspects: Conjuration uses the Aspects of
Distance, Number of Targets, and Weight. Conjuration
Conjuration notably doesn’t use Speed. The summoned target
Conjuration is the quintessential Path of stage appears instantaneously on the successful completion
magicians: pulling rabbits from hats and cards from of a spell or ritual. The sorcerer may also choose to
an audience member’s pocket are common buy the following effects with additional successes:
examples of its most basic applications. Sorcerers • 1 success to be able to use Conjuration to
who wish to make a living from their studies often clumsily attack without touching the weapon (–1
learn Conjuration. Because of this inextricable die penalty to attack).
association with stage magic, Sleepers tend to
rationalize Conjuration as simply expert sleight-of- • 2 successes to attack as above but without
hand. penalty, or to give fine motor control to any
The path of Conjuration is the ability to move object conjured, such as using a set of lock picks
or summon an object or being. While a novice from a distance.
might only perform parlor tricks like coin spinning, • 1 success for each additional round the sorcerer
an advanced Conjuration sorcerer can hang a spell wishes to maintain the effect. The Sorcerer can’t
on their companion before entering a dangerous drastically change the effect, such as throwing a
situation, letting them pull their friend from the puppet to strike someone after making the
(perhaps literal) jaws of death if need be. puppet dance, without rolling Conjuration again.
Nearly as important as what Conjuration is is
Price of Failure: While simple failure means
what Conjuration is not. Conjuration is very similar
no item is transported, a Conjuration botch runs the
to the path of Conveyance mechanically, to the
gamut from highly inconvenient to gruesome. A
point that there’s often confusion between the two
sorcerer might send an object to the wrong place,
paths — especially among Awakened Mages who
such as sending an item further out of reach or
can achieve results common to both Paths with the
conjuring a prepared weapon directly to their own
Correspondence Sphere. Conjuration can’t move
hand. Sometimes the sorcerer summons the wrong
the sorcerer wielding it, whereas Conveyance can.
object entirely. Alternatively, a sorcerer might only
A sorcerer also may not use this path to “summon”
conjure part of the intended item, and one only
elemental attacks — that’s the domain of Hellfire.
needs to imagine the horror of botching the
Conjuration can summon a bucket of sand but
Conjuration of a living being.
cannot create a sandstorm.
Sample Rituals
System
Modifiers: For any application that can be Object Permanence (••)
played off as — or described similarly enough to Hedge magicians naturally have an easier time
— stage magic, keep one success that would’ve summoning targets they have a strong connection
otherwise been removed by witnesses. Even to, such as a beloved pet or the ritual knife their
rational consensus is primed by pop culture to mentor gifted them. With Object Permanence, the
believe conjuring an elephant from nowhere is hedge magician forces a supernatural connection to
possible with clever visual trickery. Note that objects for future summoning. This treats the target
actions causing obvious physical harm can’t be as “well-known to the sorcerer,” even if the sorcerer
explained in this manner. found it in a dumpster an hour ago. The sorcerer
Using Conjuration on an object in the grasp of meditates within 10 feet of the target and spends a
someone actively resisting incurs a +1 difficulty. point of Willpower. Every success represents a day

22 Sorcerer
the target maintains the supernatural connection ritual can work on up to 10 companions, who the
to the sorcerer. A hedge magician may have a sorcerer must define when initially performing the
maximum number of targets bound this way at ritual.
once as they have dots in Conjuration.
Always Armed (•••) Conveyance
The sorcerer doesn’t have to appear armed to Whether dreaming of teleportation or flying
have a weapon at the ready. Due to the nature of broomsticks, people have always wanted to travel
this ritual, it’s nearly always hung before the quickly from place to place. No matter how quickly
sorcerer enters a potentially dangerous situation. they can manage it, it’s never fast enough, and
If they need to access the weapon, the sorcerer many turn to magic and strange sciences to get
completes the ritual by reaching into their where they’re going that much sooner. To hedge
trenchcoat or a convenient shadow to summon it. magicians, these feats may not be routine, but few
Traditionally, sorcerers used this ritual to conjure of them worry about being booked to a middle seat
swords, but in modern times it’s most common on an airline.
for a sorcerer to summon a shotgun or rifle. The Until they reach the pinnacles of Path mastery,
summoned weapon can’t be larger than a a hedge magician using the Path of Conveyance
shotgun or long sword. requires some sort of vehicle, which is prepared for
a single journey by the magician. Mystics tend to
Shitstorm (•••) favor seven-league boots, flying carpets and
The hedge magician surrounds themself and brooms, and stranger things like chariots drawn by
companions within 25 feet of them with a divine cats, while the more scientific magicians use
swirling shell of small inanimate objects. This jet packs, transforming cars, and the like. Powerful
adds +1 difficulty to hit anyone covered by the wielders of this Path, however, can cover distance
effect with a ranged attack for every 2 activation without crossing the intervening space.
successes. Additionally, anyone attempting close Teleportation need not be instantaneous, but it
combat against those affected by the ritual must tends not to need a vehicle; usually a ritual or
soak [activation successes] in damage. This is device at the point of origin will suffice to send the
usually bashing, unless the sorcerer was in a magician wherever they want to go.
room filled with broken glass, small knives, or
other sharp objects, in which case the damage is System
lethal. The sorcerer doesn’t have to target any Modifiers: +2 difficulty for each unwilling
enemy in particular for this to occur. Anyone, target, –1 difficulty for well-known locations
friend or foe, who gets too close to the flying Aspects: In addition to the Aspects of Distance,
debris is hit and must soak the damage. Travel Speed, and Passengers, the following each
Extraction (••••) increase the number of successes needed:
Another ritual commonly hung “just in • 1 success to travel to a location the magician has
case”, Extraction allows the sorcerer to take never been to.
fallen or overwhelmed companions out of battle
• 2 successes to teleport, even if not instantaneous
and to safety. The sorcerer first moves out of
This is required to attempt to use Conveyance
range of combat, typically behind cover, and
offensively.
pulls their companions out of a shadow. There
isn’t a difficulty increase or success penalty if • Each barrier crossed costs one success. Barriers
the companions aren’t resisting and aren’t must be possible to bypass. This Path can’t
immediately being targeted — the chaos of penetrate hermetically sealed chambers.
combat can hide this ritual’s use. Once the
sorcerer and their companions are out of range, Price of Failure: Mishaps with the Path of
they aren’t counted as being in combat unless a Conveyance can be extremely dangerous. Failures are
combatant finds them and attacks. This powerful innocuous enough, as simply nothing happens.

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 23

 Botches, however, tend to be specific to the method return to a secondary location if their dedicated home
of transportation used and tend to impact the is too far away. This ritual is almost always cast as a
conjurer (pun intended) part way through the trip. hanging ritual.
Flying broomsticks fall out of the sky, seven-league Information Superhighway (••••)
boots leave you stranded leagues from your
For technology-based magicians, there’s an
destination, and entire bodies of science-fiction
unusual means of transportation often overlooked by
discuss what happens when teleportation goes
mystics. It’s harder to access than others but can
badly.
sometimes reach places Conveyance normally can’t.
Sample Rituals This ritual allows the caster to travel from any
electrical outlet to any other, by converting the
Sprint (•) magician into electricity. The range is limited to 5
Sometimes, a magician needs to travel a short miles per success. This travel takes one minute per 5
distance quickly. Though preparations vary, mostly miles. However, the archetypical sealed room
by practice and Ability, this ritual always concludes Conveyance can’t access is usually not sealed off from
by lacing up a pair of blue sneakers. Once they are electricity: If an outlet exists, then the magician can
on, the magician can run faster than any mundane get to it.
human, so long as no one sees them do so. Each
success on the ritual doubles the running speed and Teleportal (•••••)
grants one minute of running. At the end, the ritual Masters of the Path of Conveyance can do more
leaves the magician exhausted, and they must rest than simply transport themselves and others from
for five minutes. place to place. They can create stable gateways
between two locations. First, the magician must
Teleport Ward (••) prepare both sites for the portal to be created. This
Hedge magicians studying the Path of takes three days of preparation at each site using
Conveyance quickly learn to defend themselves trappings and materials appropriate to the caster’s Path
from it. By marking out a room or building in an Ability. Once the appropriate preparations are
appropriate way — a chalk circle, sigils on the complete, the magician makes an extended roll, with
walls, or anti-teleportation field projectors, etc. — one roll per hour. It requires at least one success per 10
they can make it harder for other hedge magicians miles between the portals. Each extra success adds five
to use the Path to enter the area. After the ritual is uses of the portal or a condition at one or both ends,
set, each success must be overcome by a caster such as a restriction on who can use it or making the
trying to enter the bounded area. This protection portal one way. Creating this portal costs one
degrades at a rate of one success per month, but a permanent Willpower point, which is not refunded if
single success on another ritual roll restores it. the portal dissipates. Teleportal is a complex ritual,
Get Me the Heck Outta Here! (•••) best accomplished with assistants.
One of the most useful tools a magician can
have in their pocket is an escape route for when Divination
things go badly. This ritual instantly brings the Reading tea leaves, casting rune stones or
magician back to a pre-prepared home location bones, studying the night sky — all these are
within 50 miles of them. It requires at least four examples of traditional practices of Divination,
successes to cast, though additional successes 20 variations of which span a multitude of cultures. As
miles apiece to the ritual’s range. An additional roll long as there’s been the concept of a future, there’ve
when casting the ritual allows the magician to been people wanting to know what it

Example Divination Practices

This list is by no means exhaustive — there are countless methods within the Path of Divination, and every
Diviner puts something of themself into their practice. A cartomancer might have a favorite tarot deck or
spread, and a bibliomancer might swear their divination is only accurate when they use works by the

24 Sorcerer
Brontë sisters. Players are encouraged to research divination methods and find one or more practices that
best suit their character and chronicle.
Abacomancy Divination using dust, sand, or ashes of the dead dropped on a surface
Astrology Studying the interactions and positions of celestial bodies to predict the future
Bibliomancy Prediction by opening books, often religious texts, to random pages
Cartomancy Using a deck of cards to predict the future — often, but not always, tarot or other
specialized decks
Casting Throwing carved rune stones, bones, or sticks and reading the patterns made
Felidomancy Observation of cat behavior to predict the future
Haruspicy Reading the entrails and livers of sacrificed animals
Oneiromancy Interpretation of dreams
Orinthomancy Observation of bird behavior for predictions. Also known as Augury.
Palmistry Divining another’s future by reading the lines on their palm
Probability Analysis Using extraordinary science and chaos math to predict probability of future events
Scrying Reading the future in pools of water, crystal balls, mirrors, clouds, etc. Videomancy Reading the
future through moving images

Storyteller Notes: Managing Divination

Divination can be one of the most difficult Paths for a Storyteller to allow player characters to learn. Abuse
of the Path can throw a wrench in even the best laid plans and severely hinder Storytellers who rely heavily
on improvisation. Storytellers are encouraged to take one or more steps to reduce Divination misuse; some
suggestions are included here:
• Ban Divination for player characters and only use it with Storyteller characters to advance the plot.
• Roll Divination secretly for players. The hedge magician never knows for sure how accurate their
visions and interpretations of such might be. If the Storyteller rolls in secret, they may distribute
remaining successes among Aspects based on the specificity of the Sorcerer’s question.
• Remember: Divination works in symbolism and doesn’t give precise answers without high successes or
the Storyteller needing a device to advance plot. Even when using technomagic and hypermath, the
sorcerer generally gets probabilities rather than certain outcomes. It’s also easier to have vague
predictions come to pass than highly specific ones.
• Disallow use for trivial matters, such as which coffee to order, though Willpower cost should discourage
this.
• When planning plot, be sure to have the question, “What if they roll Divination on this?” in the back of
your mind.
• Even if players dodge a negative prediction, the Storyteller might still have the prediction occur by
technicality — perhaps in a way that’s not as dire or doesn’t directly affect the player characters. For
example, if the sorcerer divines future personal loss, they might save their spouse’s life but lose their
wedding ring in the process. held for them. Some of the newest, though more
difficult, practices involve using advanced
computer programming based on extraordinary
sciences and hypermath.

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 25

 A hedge magician performing acts of Accuracy
Divination attempts to predict the future. However, • Visions and signs are incredibly vague and
the future’s an ever-changing and muddied mess. A difficult to interpret with any certainty
sorcerer may use Divination to find clues to the
•• Typically accurate but deeply buried in
most likely outcomes, but the wise seer knows the
symbolism
value of accurately interpreting the imprecise and
dream-like symbolism to judge likely probability ••• Accurate but vague and open to misinterpretation
changes. •••• The truth’s there under layers of symbolism, but
Rarely is anything about the future set in stone. not terribly difficult to interpret
Mortals die, but the where, when, and how are ••••• Accurate and often easy to understand, though
determined by infinite variables: choices of action still subject to human error
and inaction alike. The mere decision to scry the
future and tell anyone about it could drastically Query
change outcomes. • A simple question that could be answered yes or
Because Divination leans on ritualistic no if you were talking to a person rather than
practices, there’s no distinction between spells and stars or entrails
rituals for this Path save casting time and effort. •• A specific question that can be answered with a
Divination rarely qualifies as vulgar magic, and short and simple explanation. For example,
many hedge magicians skilled in this art find it “Which road ahead is safest?” but not
profitable to perform in the open. However, some “What’s our enemy’s plan?”
practices such as Haruspicy (predicting the future ••• The question could be researched and answered
by studying the entrails of a sacrifice) run the risk with public source knowledge if only you
of legal consequences if discovered. Most Diviners had the hours to put in.
choose one practice, but it’s not unheard of for
sorcerers to have a few practices they use •••• The question may be detailed and require
depending on the situation or client, especially if a hidden information, but the information
favored practice is illegal or subject to being could be uncovered given enough time and
thwarted by the weather, such as with astrology. know-how.
••••• A very detailed query that would normally
System
require lost, destroyed, or deliberately hidden
Modifiers: +1 difficulty if using Extraordinary information to answer.
Science, but this Practice gives more precise
Price of Failure: In the best-case scenario, the
probabilities.
sorcerer simply receives no visions or intuition due to
–1 difficulty when under the influence of mind- failure. A botch, however, can give patently false or
altering substances. Visions and signs may come dangerously misleading readings. The hedge magician
easier and more vibrant in altered states but remain up may divine that there’s no security at the location their
to interpretation. coven is planning on breaking into, when the place
Aspects: Divination uses the following: uses enough security to rival Fort Knox. Alternatively,
Time Period the sorcerer might correctly divine that a door’s lock
is broken but fail to understand that the owner knows
• one day
this and placed armed guards to watch it. The
•• one week Storyteller should vary approaches to Divination
••• one month botches lest they become predictable in and out of
•••• one year character.

••••• 10 years
Ephemera
Some magicians — those focusing on the Path of
Summoning, Binding, and Warding — command

26 Sorcerer
spirits. Those who follow the Path of Ephemera seek a System
relationship of greater familiarity with them. To Modifiers: –2 to +2 difficulty depending on the
magicians who use the Path of Ephemera, their spirit’s opinion of the magician.
relationship to spirits is more like family and friends
Aspects: Metaphysical Weight and Spiritual Reach.
than master and servant. When they call for a spirit,
it’s an invitation, not a subpoena. Spiritual Reach
Instead of binding and commanding spirits, the • The magician can sense spirits and get their
Path of Ephemera allows the magician to negotiate attention but can do little else.
with them. This process, called chiminage, is a •• The magician is restricted to calling upon a general
give-and-take. Each spirit wants something type of spirit
different, related to their nature. The spirit’s request
depends on the power of the spirit and the size of ••• Now specific spirits can be called through
the task involved. Asking an Incarna to undertake a tailor-made rituals, and almost always
difficult and long-term task requires a lot from the show up unless the magician has offended
magician, perhaps something only possible with a them in some way.
difficult quest of their own. Asking a Gaffling to do •••• Spirits begin to approach the magician
something simple that ties directly into their nature unprompted. The magician can see into
(e.g., asking a fire spirit to light a candle) would, the Penumbra, which increases the
conversely, require almost nothing of the magician, numbers and types of spirit they can
perhaps only the opportunity to do it. This process, interact with. The magician can also fight
naturally, has a steep learning curve. Most back against spirits if they need to, though
magicians find themselves on the worse end of a most try to avoid it.
deal or two before they get a sense of it. ••••• The magician can now go to the spirits
This Path almost always focuses on the Middle instead of needing them to come to the
Umbra and, more rarely, on the Low Umbra. physical world. Though physical travel
Rumors of versions that work with the High Umbra into the Umbra is still impossible, the
are persistent but remain nothing more than magician can astrally project
hearsay.

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 27

 there, using Wits for Dexterity, Manipulation the right vessel for their magic. Sometimes, however,
for Strength, Intelligence as Stamina, and the right vessel can be found in the form of a rare or
Willpower as Health Levels. They are connect - ancient object. Once the vessel has been made or found,
ed to their body by a silver thread, and if they the Enchanter can get to the process of infusing the
run out of Willpower, it snaps, severing their object with magical energy to be used later. The first
connection and leaving them stranded. stage is usually accomplished through Crafts rolls (or,
Price of Failure: Dealings with spirits can be dan- for technosorcerers, Technology or Hypertech rolls),
while the latter is a Path roll.
gerous, especially at the early stages when all a magician
can do is get the attention of whatever is nearby. Even The Artifacts created through Enchantment differ in
at the higher levels, the most dangerous thing possibleseveral key ways from the recipes of Alchemy. Artifacts
on a botch is to call the wrong spirit, with banes beingare usually persistent, or at least can be used many
particularly common. times. Some may be permanent, or nearly so, while
others can be used a fixed number of times before their
Enchantment magic dissipates. Additionally, they tend to be weaker
The Path of Enchantment rewards patience and than the Wonders created by mages, and more focused.
forethought more than any other Path. There are no An Artifact can only have a single power, a restriction
Wonders don’t have.
spells in this Path, only rituals, causing the hedge wizard
to need to learn — or invent — a new ritual each time Enchanters tend to spend a lot of time and effort
they want to make an Artifact they haven’t made before. on their workshops. Whatever sort of crafting they do
Each of these Artifacts must be carefully crafted by the to make their Artifacts defines them. They often see
Enchanter. The first step is to create the mundane basethemselves as blacksmiths, jewelers, electronics engineers,
item. Usually these are hand-crafted by the Enchanter,or woodworkers first, and the magic they can do comes
pushing their mundane skills to their limits to make justlater. This leads Enchanters to pursue high levels of the

28 Sorcerer
Resources Background, as well as others crafted — even if the replicated power
representing a safe and secure space to do their work offers multiple effects.
and the ability to acquire high quality and often Price of Failure: Failure usually means the
exotic raw materials. magician has wasted days or weeks of their time,
System possibly ruining the item they were trying to
enchant, but nothing worse. Botches tend to be more
Modifiers: Once a magician creates a Talisman
varied. They can result in explosions that destroy the
three times, the difficulty is reduced by 1.
workshop. Worse, though, they can result in objects
Time: Crafting time for the object, plus 1-3 days that seem to work, but have some sort of
per level of the enchantment unanticipated side effect. These cursed items tend to
Effects: Enchantment doesn’t have Aspects, be hard to destroy or get rid of, often lingering long
instead it has the following Effects: after the Enchanter is gone and even finding their
• The Enchanter can create minor items that are way into Sleeper hands.
rarely noticeably magical to those who Sample Creations
aren’t already aware of their powers. This
can add one (or, for restricted • Army surplus jacket granting two dots of
circumstances, two) dice to an Attribute or Arcane when worn.
Ability roll or decrease the difficulty by 1 • A custom handgun subtracting one from the
for an attack or skill. Other small boons are difficulty of all aimed shots.
also possible. • A stuffed animal guaranteeing restful sleep
•• More powerful versions of already possible to anyone sleeping in the same bed as it.
Artifacts offer two additional dice or a –2 • A silver chain bearing a hawk’s eye
difficulty on a task. Some of the objects medallion with a chrysoprase in that can,
created at this level can change reality in a once per day, add 2 dice to a long-distance
subtle way, being more magical than sight-based Perception roll.
previously possible.
• A silver toe-ring that, when worn on
••• Obviously magical items are now possible, otherwise bare feet, protects from
though they’ll still seem merely “very projectiles, adding 2 dice to all attempts to
weird” to the magically unaware. These dodge them.
include items that offer two additional dice
on up to three different Attribute or Ability • A colored candle that, when burned, grants
rolls, and those that confer supernatural two dots of a Background for the purposes
perceptions to the user by replicating of a one-time favor.
supernatural powers of no greater than a • An oak frame that preserves anything
single dot. placed in it for as long as it remains intact.
•••• Objects of truly superhuman power. These It can only hold flat things, like documents
can raise Attributes above 5, duplicate and photographs, and must be sealed with
powers (up to the second dot) of other almond oil and sprinkled with pure water.
supernatural beings, and otherwise warp •• A pocket flask that attracts bullets when
reality in significant ways. carried in a breast pocket. It can only take
••••• Extremely powerful items often bordering one impact, but it provides three dice of
on the mythic. Minor miracles are possible, lethal soak before being destroyed. This
and often these powers are quite blatant. enchantment is very popular among
Items created at this level can reproduce up soldiers heading onto a battlefield and may
to three dots worth of supernatural powers. have originated during World War II.
Each dot reproduced this way mimics a
single effect — chosen when the item is

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 29

 •• Enhanced bullets dealing 2 additional dice of bathed in the blood of each kill it makes or
damage on hits. Each success on the else it loses its potency.
Enchantment roll creates one bullet. •••• The skull of a dead wizard allowing the user to
•• A silver dancer’s anklet adding to dice to rolls contact them for assistance. The user
involving dance when worn and visible. “donates” a pint of blood to the skull and can
•• An iron nail that, when driven into someone’s ask one question per success on the
footprint, causes them to painfully stub Enchantment roll. These questions need not be
their toe. yes/no, and follow-ups (as determined by the
Storyteller) do not count as additional
•• A small golden charm alerting the wearer when questions. It may only be used during the new
a single person it is attuned to is in danger. moon and requires a Willpower roll at
It must be reset each time by sprinkling it difficulty equal to 4 plus the number of times
with wine. The charm works once per the skull has been used. The skull crumbles to
success on the Enchantment roll. dust after the last question if the Willpower
•• A rowan ring which counteracts fae magic used roll fails. Recently, rumors have
on the wearer. This cancels one instance of fae
begun to surface suggesting the skull of
magic per success on the Enchantment roll.
Porthos Fitz-Empress was recovered and
••• Running shoes doubling the speed of the wearer enchanted in this way, though everyone has
when trying to outrun pursuit. heard it from a friend of a friend.
••• An amulet warding against sorcery. Three times •••• A silver torc granting superhuman Strength. The
a day it subtracts dice equal to the successes wearer has Strength 5 when using it, and once
on the Enchantment roll from spells targeting per day for each success on the Enchantment
the wearer. It must be kept in a special jewelry roll, may gain 3 automatic successes on a task
box carved from a single crystal when not involving Strength. When not worn, it must be
worn, or it loses one success permanently per kept exposed to the moon whenever the moon
night until it stops working. is visible.
••• A sword for ghost-slaying. It has a core of liquid •••• A silvered mail tunic that automatically converts
mercury and does aggravated damage to the up to 4 dice of lethal damage per turn to
Risen and lethal damage to wraiths. It must be bashing. Upon each use, a few links fall out,
blessed by a priest every fortnight or the and eventually it falls apart (after one use per
magic ends. success on the Enchantment roll). If any
••• A salve that heals three non-aggravated health attempt at cleaning or repair is made, the
levels in minutes. It must be applied under the magic is lost.
light of the moon by someone who loves the •••• A book that will, once per success on the
wounded. Each success on the Enchantment Enchantment roll, translate anything written in
roll creates one application. it into the reader’s native language. To activate
••• A bull torque made of pure obsidian. When it, the page must be sprinkled with paper ash.
smeared with blood it grants three dots of When set down, the writing reverts to the
Strength to the wearer for one scene per original language.
success on the Enchantment roll. ••••• A money pouch that never quite empties. So
••• A handkerchief which can clean any mundane long as at least one quarter (or other medium
spill or stain. It requires the user to hum while denomination coin for other currencies)
mopping with it and works once per success remains in it, up to four times a day it will
on the Enchantment roll. contain about five dollars (or equivalent) in
quarters. If ever used a fifth time in one day,
•••• Heartseeker, a stiletto which unerringly aims for
the magic is lost forever.
the heart when wielded in rage. It deals
Strength + 5 dice of lethal damage. It must be

30 Sorcerer
••••• An amulet of protection from physical harm. crafted object. This ritual creates unbreakable
When worn, it grants five dice of soak against blades, sweaters that don’t unravel, and similar
all damage, including aggravated. However, objects whose only enhancement is in the extreme
each use subtracts five years from the user’s quality of their crafting. These objects cannot be
life, visible on their organs, but not on the enchanted further, however. Enhanced items are not
outside. magical, but an Enchanter or Alchemist can roll
••••• An amulet hiding the user from magical Perception + Occult (difficulty 6) to recognize that
detection. When worn, it adds 4 successes to they were created in this manner. This ritual must be
the total required to find the wearer with any cast during the creation of the object, or takes 15-20
sort of supernatural power. Each use requires minutes after the fact, and costs no Willpower.
the wearer to solve a new riddle, puzzle, or
enigma, activating it for one week per success Fascination
on the Enchantment roll. Stories of the enthralling sorcerer or the
••••• A cloak that hides the movements of the user. It bewitching magician are found in folktales across
allows them to move silently and undetected the world. Devious enchanters bring the innocent
even across squeaky floors. Legends say it was under their sway, and deals struck for power entrap
developed to defeat the Nightingale floors of the hearts and minds of those so foolish as to sign
Nijo Castle. The wearer is perfectly silent until away their souls to such bargains. The kernel of truth
they speak aloud. When created, one silver to this old trope is solid as diamond. Unscrupulous
thread per success on the Enchantment roll magicians bending the minds of others to their will
is woven into the cloak, and each use have practiced this Path as long as anyone has
breaks one of those threads. When the last wished another would just act or think in an
one breaks, the magic is lost forever. agreeable manner.
The methods vary, but the result is the same:
••••• A piano anyone can play like a master once
Break the subject’s will and enthrall them. A
they give a prayer to the nine Muses (by
sorcerer employing a mystical practice may apply
name).
makeup that makes their eyes sparkle with
••••• An animated servant, such as a homunculus entrancing radiance. They may spritz themselves
or robot. It has 10 dots of Attributes and 7 with an alluring fragrance, drawing the attention of
dots of Abilities, with human senses and anyone within wafting distance. Others may simply
Health levels (though no wound penalties). hone their confidence into a razor’s edge, impossible
It doesn’t need to eat or sleep, though most to resist. Extraordinary Citizens carry tested and
robots require some sort of recharging. approved harmonic resonators that emit a subsonic
Sample Rituals frequency that rebalances neurotransmitters to
facilitate compliance.
Eldritch Mark (•) Those with mind-altering powers already can
By inscribing a symbol or mark onto an object or resist with powers of their own if they are the
the forehead of a person, the magicians marks them specific target of a power. This goes both ways, as a
as theirs. The mark is invisible to the naked eye, but student of this Path may recognize other uses of
obvious to anyone with magically enhanced mind-altering effects and prepare themselves to
perceptions of any sort. The mark informs anyone resist or overcome them.
looking at it of the name of the magician who
created the mark. This ritual takes five minutes to System
cast and has no Willpower cost. The mark lasts until Modifiers: +1 difficulty for being disliked by
the next new moon. the target, +2 difficulty for being hated by the target
Enhance Craftsmanship (••) Aspects: In addition to the Aspects of Number
Sometimes, instead of a magic item, what a of Targets, Range, and Sympathetic Connection,
magician needs is an otherwise normal but perfectly

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 31

 Fascination uses the Allure and Willbending anything you might request. Hell, they may
Aspects: even kill for you or put their life on the line
for you if you ask the right way. You may
Allure make strong suggestions that wildly defy
• Add 1 die to social die pools the target’s character and circumstances,
•• Add 2 dice to social die pools such as suggesting that the spell’s victim
••• Add 3 dice to social die pools burns down a bar for daring to announce
last call.
•••• Add 4 dice to social die pools
Price of Failure: The consequences of failure
••••• Add 5 dice to social die pools
when manipulating hearts and minds tend to be
Willbending based on the context of the situation. A simple
• Intriguing: You draw attention even in a failure at a party may go largely unnoticed after a
crowd, and individuals find you interesting moment of minor embarrassment, such as a spilled
in one-on-one conversation. You may make drink during an attempt at a grand flourish or
mild suggestions that align with the target’s stepping on others’ toes while making tracks across
personality and situation such as getting the dance floor. A botch, however, inevitably leads
another drunk if they are at a bar. to humiliation, or worse. This can be represented by
reversing any bonus into a penalty for the duration.
•• Alluring: Almost everyone at the gathering
The target of enchantment becomes a sworn enemy
knows you were there, and individuals will
instead of a paramour or may lose the ability to feel
try to find a way to see you again. You may
emotions at all. The subject of the latter effect
make strong suggestions that align with the
becomes numb to all forms of empathy and
target’s personality and situation, such as
sympathy and requires great lengths or the passage
heading home with the hedge wizard after a
of time to return to normal. The converse may see
fun night.
the victim become unhinged, transforming into a
••• Beguiling: Everyone assumes that you had a violently jealous abuser that will harm anyone they
hand in setting up the party, and individuals perceive as encroaching upon their claim.
around you will vie for your attention. You
may make suggestions that don’t Sample Rituals
necessarily align Belle/Beau/Bright of the Ball (•••)
with the target’s personality and situation, With knowledge of an upcoming social event
such as suggesting they break up with their and proper preparation, a sorcerer can make
long-term partner to give the caster of the themselves quite the sensation. With an invitation in
spell a one-off chance. hand, whether intended for them or not, the magician
•••• Entrancing: Invitations or not, the party is infuses their presence into the upcoming gathering.
held for you by everyone’s estimation. For the duration of the specified party, they receive
Individuals no longer just want your VIP treatment from all attendees and hired staff. The
attention, they crave your approval, organizers give their blessing and offer a hearty
possibly making fools of themselves in the “have a great night” without second-guessing their
process. You may make strong suggestions guest list.
that don’t align with the target’s Love Potion Number 9 (••••)
personality or interests, such as suggesting Regardless of its classic and iconic nature, usage
that the target fight another to defend the of the “love potion” has fallen out of fashion for
magician’s honor. obvious reasons. As societies have become more
••••• Enthralling: If you started throwing things, insistent on the importance of consent, sorcerers
this place would become a full-scale riot; have had less call to take the time and resources
those present find themselves hard-pressed required to perform this ritual. Those that are still
to resist your requests, doing almost willing to make the potent mixture of love and

32 Sorcerer
loyalty do so with hesitancy and charge a premium The Arcane/Cloaking Background provides an
price. additional layer of protection against curses.
A lock of hair, a dram of blood, or a sentimental Targeting anyone with that Background without
personal effect is required to create the right their explicit permission subtracts a success from the
connection to the heart in question. When performed roll for each dot of Arcane they have.
for an individual other than the sorcerer themselves, System
some part of the client is usually required as well.
The ritual takes the form of the traditional potion in Modifiers: –1 difficulty with a weak
some practices; in others it is a sort of ritualized sympathetic connection (object owned by the target),
binding with a knotted cord. In all cases, the victim –2 difficulty for a strong sympathetic connection
is tied to the anchor point of the sorcerer or their (prized possession of target, piece of the target such
client. as hair or nail clippings)
Once performed, the victim finds themselves Aspects: Fortune uses the Duration Aspect, but
uneasy and sick to their stomach. The lingering treats all durations as one higher, with Duration 5
nausea vanishes when the anchor is near, or when consisting of spells lasting for several years.
they are performing a task that they know would Additionally, it uses the Number of Targets Aspect,
please the anchor. but all targets must be related (members of a family,
the population of a small town, etc.). The Fortune
Path also uses an Aspect called Severity, as follows:
Fortune
Fate is fickle, even before accounting for the Severity
manipulations of magicians. The Path of Fortune • A minor blessing or curse, generally something
allows them to wield luck like a weapon, cutting simple, such as a Freudian slip or managing
down their enemies with curses or fortifying their to just barely catch a bus the target needs.
allies with blessings. While methods and •• A lasting but non-permanent inconvenience,
explanations may vary, from the Evil Eye, to the injury, or small benefit. Sprains, non-life-
Hand of God, to probability manipulation, the Path threatening illness, and broken objects are
of Fortune never makes the truly impossible happen, standard bad luck, whereas good luck
only the exceedingly unlikely. It’s also one of the might be as simple as avoiding the flu for a
least precise Paths: While the hedge magician sets season, a minor combat advantage, or the
Fortune in motion and controls the magnitude and resolution of a minor obstacle.
general range of potential outcomes, the effects of ••• A major setback or bonus. Temporary but
this Path often surprise them or disappear into the grave illnesses and serious social faux pas
noise of daily life. are the most common curses, while finding
Night-Folk are harder to curse with this Path helpful bureaucrats, success with gambling
than Sleepers are. They make a Willpower roll or relationships, or an additional die to
against 4 + the magician’s Path rating, and effects combat pools are the most common
without an Aspect at 5 require only a single success blessings.
to negate. Those extremely powerful curses can be
•••• Now the blessings and curses can have
ignored with only two successes, though the
serious and permanent effects. Debilitating
difficulty will be 9, making it quite challenging. To
injuries, bankruptcy, a social tragedy that
resist, the victim must be aware of the magician’s
leaves the target a pariah, winning the
curse and actively attempt to resist it. Discovering an
lottery, surviving almost certain death, or
unannounced curse can be difficult, but is possible
just a chance encounter that changes the
through supernatural perceptions, such as aura
target’s social standing are all possible.
reading. Mages with Prime or Entropy might notice
it, and magicians with the Path of Fortune can ••••• Curses at this level almost always result in a
usually recognize the work of one of their own. painful and unusual death. Targets get
decapitated, suffer incurable wasting

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 33

 illnesses, experience horrific car accidents, Step on a Crack (••)
and more. Blessings are similarly dramatic, A common rhyme among children says, “If you
such as being rescued from state execution step on a crack, you break your mother’s back.” It’s
by a call from the governor. Other last- just a childish version of an ancient belief that
minute saves from certain death are touching cracks brings misfortune. This belief is
possible, but also victories far rarer than made manifest in this ritual. Unlike most curses, the
one in a million: An enemy in combat may magician must inform their target of the curse for it
trip and break their neck, the beneficiary to take effect, and the curse doesn’t automatically
might find a lost tome in a used bookstore occur. Instead, the victim can attempt to evade the
bargain bin, or they could win political curse by not touching cracks. This, of course,
office with no name recognition. inevitably proves to be impossible, triggering a curse
Price of Failure: Some failed Fortune spells are bringing some non-life-threatening but potentially
undetectable. The target is either lucky or unlucky permanent harm to the victim or to their loved ones.
naturally, resulting in the appearance of a success. If they can unweave (see p. 15) this curse before
Botches are a more serious matter. A twisted stepping on a crack, it is done at –2 difficulty.
blessing or curse still results. Blessings first appear However, once the curse is triggered, any attempt to
beneficial but every time it helps the target there are rid the victim of it is at +2 difficulty instead, as their
horrible consequences. Curses likewise appear to be actions were the direct cause of their misfortune,
harmful but turn out to benefit the target of the unfair as that may be.
magician’s ire. This is especially dangerous for a Bashert (•••)
magician who attempts to use the Path of Fortune on Though this ritual existed in ancient times in one
themself. Instead of twisted blessings, the full force form or another, it has been popularized in its
of a more powerful curse, often the most powerful current form by Anne Richard and Judith Marquette.
the magician can cause, targets them. Worst of all, Fate may be fickle, but some matches are almost
the magician cannot unweave the spell they botched impossible to keep apart. With even a single success,
on themself, though they can on others. the target of this ritual is nearly guaranteed to meet a
Sample Rituals perfect match, someone with the potential to be their
True Love (as per the Merit on Book of Secrets p.
Death Curse (•) 59), within the next year. Each additional success
One of the most extreme rituals a magician can divides the time: two successes brings them together
perform, the Death Curse always results in their within six months, three decreases the wait to four
death, and usually the destruction of their enemies. months, and so on.
The magician spends all of their permanent
Willpower, gaining a pool of successes equal to their Freudian Slip (••••)
value for the final spell. This ritual allows them to Speaking your thoughts at the wrong time can be
increase the level of Aspects to 2 higher than their social suicide. It can end friendships, destroy
Path rating, allowing relatively powerful magicians careers, and create lifelong hatreds with other
to sacrifice themselves for legendary curses (or, consequences down the line. Magicians who study
more rarely, blessings). Curses that resound for the Path of Fortune have refined this this ritual to
generations with fates worse than death for entire take advantage of this knowledge. Freudian Slip
towns aren’t unheard of for the most powerful of curses its victim to say the worst possible thing they
magicians who find themselves willing to make the actually believe at their next important social event
sacrifice. They make their Path roll at a difficulty or encounter. This can include political speeches, job
determined by the Aspects as usual, but with that interviews, dates, family events, and more. Whatever
additional pool of automatic successes. Upon the context, the next time they are trying to conceal
completing the ritual, the magician collapses, having their true feelings in a situation where revealing
spent their life in the casting; they’re often dead them would cause significant and lasting harm, they
before they even hit the floor. must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) to avoid
simply blurting them out. If they avoid significant

34 Sorcerer
social events for a year and a day, the curse dies off, possible, but they don’t advertise this. Even when so
leaving them safe. many are ignored and failed by the medical
Generational Wealth (•••••) establishment, it’s illegal to practice medicine
without a license. Beyond that, fame can be a heavy
There are only so many ways to become wealthy
burden to carry. Many eager and empathetic hedge
enough to last for generations. Other than simple
magicians begin learning the path of Healing, but
luck, all of them require a substantial sacrifice. For
few master it — they often burn out early from the
most, this sacrifice is borne by others, through
cold and thankless world, switching to other Arts if
exploitative labor practices or criminal enterprise. In
they continue practicing magic at all.
fact, due to the fickle nature of luck, exploitation has
always been the easier and more reliable path to Though not always required by their Practice,
wealth. This ritual allows luck to be tamed and many hedge magician Healers do learn some form of
guaranteed. It still requires a sacrifice; after all, medicine. Those who don’t rely on extraordinary
nothing comes for free. But rather than sacrificing science often learn forms of healing not based on
others, taking advantage of their desperation, the modern medicine. At the very least, in instances they
parent who seeks security for their family do learn the basics of modern medical science, their
voluntarily sacrifices themself. Though the sacrifice approach to treatment can be wildly different in
must be willing, few magicians are willing to philosophy and technique.
perform this ritual. Those who are willing must A healer might heal mild to moderate congenital
perform the sacrifice in some way appropriate to illnesses or deformities, but more extreme examples
their practice. The beneficiaries of the sacrifice find such as regenerating limbs or raising the recently
themselves suddenly extremely lucky, able to win dead are the realm of legend.
enough money gambling so they, their children, and System
their children’s children, will never have to work
another day in their lives. Even if they somehow Modifiers: Fast casting may only be used to
manage to throw away this vast wealth, the next stabilize lethal or aggravated damage or reduce
generation will be just as lucky and regain it. The wound penalties. All other uses must use regular
blessing lasts for seven generations, after which the spells, extended roll spells, or rituals.
descendants are on their own. • 1 additional success to fix a badly healed
wound
Healing • +1 difficulty to heal an uncooperative patient
Wherever humanity thrives, there’s a need for
healing. Since the dawn of civilization, healers Aspects: This path uses the Damage/Healing
sprung up out of empathy and community need. Aspect. Bashing damage can be healed with one
Long before science knew what germ theory was, success per damage level. Additionally, each success
healers learned how to serve their people from can reduce a toxin, disease, or wound penalty
tradition, communing with spirits, trial and error, (caused by pain rather than a missing limb, for
and a host of other ways. Now, even when science example) by one level. See Mage 20 p. 406 for
can prevent and cure horrifying diseases, many information on wound penalties and p. 442 for the
remain without access to such techniques. In medical toxin and disease chart.
deserts and communities who have historically been Price of Failure: A failure simply means the
wronged by the medical establishment, there’s still magic didn’t work; the damage was beyond the
need. People still desperately seek healers. They sorcerer’s ability to heal. A botch can turn horrific
may not fully believe in magic or miracles, but quickly. A Healer might make the person more
between the choice of assured agony and a sliver of susceptible to the toxin they’re trying to fight off,
hope, many take the chance. increasing the effective Toxin Rating. They might
Hedge magic can achieve miraculous results. A outright cause damage or heal something incorrectly,
master healer can cure cancers and speed up the such as fusing eyelids shut or setting a bone crooked,
healing of grievous injury beyond what should be so that it needs to be re-broken later. The healer

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 35

 might also infect themself with the disease they were bleeds the patient with leeches, a ritual knife, or
trying to heal. another tool suited to their practice, which deals one
level of lethal damage. The healer spends a point of
Sample Rituals
Willpower and must roll at least 5 successes. The
Healing Slumber (•) healer may perform this ritual as an extended action.
The healer treats a willing (or unconscious) The patient rests for three days, after which the
patient and sends them into a deep, energizing sleep. lethal damage and the condition are healed. This rest
On success, the patient remains asleep for 9 hours; needn’t be solely sleep. The patient may move
when they awake, all bashing damage is healed, and minimally to perform basic bodily functions but
the patient regains a point of Willpower. For every otherwise should be laying down. If the patient is too
success above one, subtract one hour from the active during the three days, the ritual fails
required sleep time. The healer cannot treat lethal or automatically. The ritual will also fail if the patient
aggravated wounds in this way. suffers significant mental or emotional stress, such
as trying to work from bed or having a heated
Jolt (••)
argument.
The sorcerer spends a point of Willpower and
magically awakens a person who is sleeping,
unconscious, or comatose. This normally requires Hellfire
one success but requires the toxin’s rating in The Path of Hellfire remains one of the most
successes to wake someone who is drugged, and popular Paths of hedge magic, despite there being
four successes to wake the comatose. something of a bad reputation associated with it. For
Reversing a magickal effect requires successes equal most people, the allure of throwing elemental power
to the original effect +1 to reverse it. This power around and destroying your enemies outweighs the
doesn’t heal the underlying illness, injury, or belief it may somehow be tainted by evil, if not
poisoning, and the patient falls unconscious again at outright infernal. Despite these sentiments, many
the end of the scene if the healer doesn’t resolve the hedge magicians specialize in the pyrotechnics this
underlying issue. This can be used to help identify Path makes available to them, being one of the more
the patient and gather information about who or dramatic Paths of hedge magic.
what put them in that state. Even beginning students of Hellfire are often
accorded respect, and not a small amount of fear, by
Mike’s Cure-All (•••) their fellows. They learn early that they can summon
While similar rituals were performed for lightning and fire, cause earthquakes, and drown
centuries, or longer, this version was first recorded their enemies should they so choose, even if they
in Chicago during Prohibition and was based on don’t personally know how. Apprentices are also
Victorian era Cure-Alls. The healer can force a given one essential warning: They are not immune to
patient’s body to purge all drugs and toxins through their own powers. This vulnerability is not limited to
any, and sometimes all, possible exits. This includes botched attempts at magic (see the Price of Failure
vomiting, sweat, tears, diarrhea, etc. The process is below). Practitioners must be careful not to be
incredibly unpleasant but can save a poisoning within the areas they target, and fire, once
victim or someone who’s overdosed. The sorcerer unleashed, can be difficult to control.
must get at least as many successes as the Toxin
Rating for the most potent toxin in the patient’s System
system. No damage is healed, but the patient suffers Aspects: Damage, Range, Area, and the
no further ill effects. This can purge magical potions following Special Effects can be added:
as well.
• Decay: Instead of damaging living targets,
Humor Alignment (••••) the spell breaks down anything they are
This is an old ritual for curing chronic and wearing or carrying. For each point of
congenital conditions. It dates back to the Middle damage it would inflict, it can turn three
Ages when Humorism was in vogue. The healer pounds of material to junk.

36 Sorcerer
• Dust Storm: The spell summons a storm of start drowning (see M20 page 440-441).
dust, scouring the area (which must have at Escape from the water requires an extended
least three dots) and, in addition to damage, Strength roll, difficulty 8, with at least two
causing blindness in the area for one turn successes necessary, often more. This only
per health level inflicted. does drowning damage.
• Sleet: A stream of ice and freezing water The Special Effects above must be purchased
causes brief blindness and leaves the with Freebie or Experience Points at a cost of the dot
ground slippery. This cannot be made rating + 1.
aggravated. Price of Failure: When you play with fire
• Smoke: The caster emits a cloud of sometimes you get burned. Botching when using the
poisonous smoke that envelops the area Path of Hellfire typically results in the spell
(which must be at least three dots in the rebounding on the caster. They take whatever
Area Aspect). Everyone within the cloud damage they were attempting to inflict on their
takes one level of damage per turn unless target.
protected. A normal gas mask provides two Sample Rituals
turns of protection before becoming
useless. Beings that do not need to breathe Fire’s Weal (••)
are immune to this damage. Vision, even if Fire is one of the most dangerous hazards in the
enhanced, is completely obscured while in World of Darkness; even natural flames can easily
the cloud. cause permanent damage to powerful supernatural
•• Earthquake: the spell causes the ground to beings. With this ritual, the magician can give
split open and engulf, then crush, the target. protection against fire of all sorts. With two
They can roll Strength at difficulty 6 to try successes, the ritual allows the target to soak fire
to dig free. They need as many successes as damage, even supernatural flame, as though it were
health levels of damage they suffered. This bashing, regardless of what damage it causes.
cannot be made aggravated. Successes in excess of two reduce the difficulty on
soak rolls against fire (to a maximum modifier of –
•• Lightning: Instead of fire, the spell fires a bolt
3), so four total successes result in soaking fire
of electricity. Anyone in contact with the
damage at –2 difficulty.
target through a conductive material takes
the same damage as the target. Hellblade (••)
•• Tanglewood: Plants flail and attack the target, A flashy ritual, Hellblade attunes a weapon,
throwing thorns, splinters, and other bits of traditionally a sword, to the Path of Hellfire. Once
wood at it. With extreme luck (at least attuned, the magician can spend one Willpower to
three successes beyond the spell’s engulf the weapon in flame. The flame causes the
requirement) this can stake a vampire, but a weapon to inflict two additional dice of damage and
magician who counts on it will likely be converts its damage to aggravated. This lasts for a
badly disappointed. If the target is standing scene, though the ritual ends if the weapon leaves
in dense undergrowth, they are captured by the caster’s hand. This ritual requires a minimum of
the plants. A creature restrained in this two successes. Purification of the Inferno (•••)
fashion cannot move until they accumulate After an unfortunate encounter with a vampire,
as many successes on a Strength roll Charles Moran developed this ritual to protect
(difficulty 7) as damage dealt by the spell. himself in the future. Unfortunately, this ritual does
This cannot be made aggravated. not discriminate friend from foe, making it an
•••• Drowning Tide: This requires an Olympic extremely risky ritual to cast when the magician
sized swimming pool or larger body of might be in close quarters with others, such as in an
water. The target is pulled underwater by a elevator. Purification of the Inferno acts as a
sudden wave or undertow, causing them to defensive failsafe. The first person to touch the

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 37

 magician after the ritual immediately bursts into requires strange patterns of thought and lateral
flames, suffering four dice of aggravated damage. thinking, leading illusionists to become eccentric
The flames then become entirely mundane, dealing over time.
three lethal damage per turn, which can be soaked at When targeted with the Path of Illusion,
difficulty 8 until they are put out. The ritual requires avoiding the deception is always a possibility. A
three successes on casting. Perception + Alertness roll at difficulty (4 + Realism
Smoldering Ruin (•••••) Aspect) for spells, and difficulty (4 + Rank) for
rituals reveals the slight imperfections in the illusion.
The most common target of the Hellfire Path is
This requires one success for each sense covered by
an individual enemy. It’s directly offensive magic,
the illusion, though in cases where an essential
and magicians know it and use it as such.
sense, as determined by the Storyteller, is left out,
Sometimes, targeting individuals and even groups is
the number of successes required may decrease.
too small scale. Sometimes a magician really wants
Anyone who makes this roll can tell that what they
to just cut loose, and hedge magic doesn’t offer very
are perceiving isn’t real, though they perceive both it
many outlets to do so. Masters of Hellfire, however,
and the truth. If they alert others to this fact, they can
developed this ritual in order to do just that: cut
reroll once.
loose and cause damage to their enemies all at once.
Smoldering Ruin requires a full three hours to cast, System
and in all its forms a Stamina roll (difficulty 6) must Modifiers: –1 to –3 difficulty if using a base
be made just to complete the exhausting ritual. Once similar to the goal (making a table appear differently
completed, the magician spends 3 points of is easier than making a table appear from nothing)
Willpower and must achieve at least 5 successes.
Aspects: Duration, Number of Targets, and the
Despite the difficulty, success is worth the effort:
following:
The ritual lights a building on fire, burning it to the
ground. No mundane efforts can extinguish this fire, Senses
fueled by the caster’s desire for destruction, though • Affects one sense
supernatural means are capable of doing so. It can
•• Affects two senses
even burn buildings made out of normally fire-
resistant and fireproof materials. Notably, the caster ••• Affects three senses
must perform the ritual while inside the building, •••• Affects four senses
and then hope they can escape before becoming ••••• Full sensory range
trapped inside.
Realism
Illusion • Completely immobile and fixed; if visual, flat
One of the most fundamental magics is the •• Changes with perspective so the viewer moving
power to deceive others into believing what the doesn’t disrupt it immediately
magician wants. The Path of Illusion confounds the ••• Illusions can have moving parts, but only
senses, making its targets perceive things that aren’t large ones
there or altering their perception of what is there.
•••• Smaller motions and variations are possible,
Most people trust their senses. “Seeing is believing,”
but there are still subtle tells
but when an illusionist is nearby, this old adage can
kill you. ••••• Fully immersive, this level completely fools
The Path of Illusion is much less direct in most all targeted senses
of its applications than some of the other Paths. Price of Failure: Naive magicians think
Illusionists tend to be clever manipulators, at the botching an illusion must be no big deal. The spell
least in order to choose just the right false vision for did nothing real, so nothing real should happen when
whatever task must be completed. This often it goes awry.

38 Sorcerer
On the contrary, the caster’s perceptions are altered. Sample Rituals
Worse, most of the alterations are subtle and easily
Cruel Whispers ••
missed. For larger spells, though, there will eventually
()
be a substantial change, likely when most dangerous for Illusionists must often be masters of psychological
the caster to be caught unaware. warfare. They can’t create anything truly real, so they
play on the fears and anxieties of their targets to control

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 39

 them. One of the key rituals for this is Cruel world without any sensation until either the
Whispers. A purely auditory illusion, Cruel magician releases them or they accumulate 5
Whispers follows its target around for twenty-four successes on Perception rolls at difficulty 9, making
hours. Though the magician may never know what one every hour. The victim must start over on a
the whispers are saying, the victim hears voices, just botch. Often, the victims of this ritual are being
barely audible, pointing out every flaw, every punished for heinous crimes, and have it cast on
insecurity, and ever misstep they make during the them before they are thrown into a hole and
day. This distracts them, giving them +1 difficulty forgotten, left to starve without even knowing they
on all rolls for the day, and whenever they botch are starving.
they must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) or
else suffer the effects of the Chronic Depression Maelstroms
Flaw (BoS p. 51) for one week.
Discovered by accident, the Path of Maelstroms
Hard-Light Constructs (•••) was originally an attempt to rediscover Weather
A popular ritual among technosorcerers, Hard- Control. Traditionally referred to as “Whistle” (as in,
Light Constructs are illusions everyone involved “whistling up a storm”), the magicians using it
knows are fake. This creates scenery, furniture, etc., sought to conjure intense gales of wind and rain in
that looks and feels real, though putting your weight the world of the living. It took until the 19th century
onto it wouldn’t be the best idea. It’s often used to to discover that these tempests were stolen from the
simulate visuals where every single detail isn’t Shadowlands.
needed, but which have moving parts. It creates the Maelstrom pulls the energy to create its storms
illusion for all onlookers, rather than a fixed set of from two sources. The first is the caster’s force of
targets. At least one Extraordinary Citizen has been will. Spells and rituals of this Path cost one
reprimanded for using Hard-Light Constructs to run Willpower point per level rather than the usual flat
their World of Shadows game. one point for most Paths. The other source of power
is the Shadowlands itself, pulling its energy out and
Instant Feast (••••)
rendering ghosts in the area calm or forcibly driving
Illusory food is deceptively hard to create. Taste,
the dead from the area depending on the size of the
smell, image, and texture all need to be just right to
storm.
fool someone into thinking they’re eating a real
meal. The target rolls Perception + Alertness The most common instrument for this Path is, by
(difficulty 7). On failure, they believe they are eating far, music. Most users say that from the moment
real food for the duration of the meal, whatever food they learned it, they could hear music in their head,
the magician can imagine. However, they’re still and some believe it grows louder when the storms
hungry. This provides no sustenance (unless the they can draw from are stronger. For these people,
illusion is covering up some other food), though if their Alertness is capped at 3, due to the distraction
six or more successes are rolled on the casting, of the music. Others, however, don’t experience this
hunger cues are suppressed for a number of hours effect and suffer no penalty.
equal to the target’s Stamina, before they feel System
hungry again. This can’t alleviate the effects of
Aspects: Area, Duration, and Intensity
starvation.
Oubliette (•••••) Intensity
• Drawing a breeze and fog from the underworld
One of the most terrifying rituals of the Path of
into the world of the living pacifies the
Illusion, Oubliette has broken some of the strongest
local Shadowlands. Ghosts in the area are
people in the world. The magician must be within a
calmed. They’ll defend themselves, but
few feet of their target for the entirety of a three-
otherwise they won’t attack anyone in the
hour ritual, which requires at least 5 successes. If
area for the duration without succeeding on
they can accomplish this, then the ritual removes all
a Willpower roll (difficulty 6).
five senses from the victim. They are trapped in a

40 Sorcerer
 •• A rainstorm is summoned, and it drains so have an easier time manifesting in the area for the
much energy from the underworld that duration the spell would have had.
ghosts are frozen in place unless they make
Sample Rituals
a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). They’re
made just corporeal enough that the Rest in Peace (••)
magician can physically move them. By summoning a thunderstorm from the
Usually, they remove the ghosts from an underworld, the magician can place nearby ghosts
area where they are unwelcome. into a state of Slumber. Slumber is similar in many
••• Calling a full-scale thunderstorm does even ways to sleep for the living. It is restorative for the
more to quiet the Shadowlands. This drains ghost’s ephemeral form and restful for their minds
the power of Oblivion from the area. and personalities. While in Slumber, the ghost loses
Ghosts are sedated as in the first rank, but awareness of their surroundings, instead
those under control of their Shadows are experiencing vivid dreams. Usually those dreams are
restored to reason. Results vary with lively and colorful, focused on the ghost’s passions,
spectres, but legends exist of hedge but with a darkness overlaying them due to the
magicians with this Path pulling a spectre Shadow. The Slumber created by this ritual brings
away from Oblivion. better, more peaceful dreams. The Shadow’s
influence over them is diminished to nothing, and
•••• Powerful storms in the world of the living, with
even Spectres find themselves having positive
gale-force winds, hail, and plenty of property
dreams for the first time since they fell to their
damage can truly sap the power of Oblivion
Shadows. A single success always puts a willing
in the Shadowlands. Spectres and other
target into Slumber, but unwilling targets (like most
deeply malicious ghosts who fail a Willpower
Spectres) roll Willpower (difficulty 6) and must
roll (difficulty 8) disappear within the barrage
achieve more successes than the ritual in order to
of wind and hail. No hedge magician knows
stay awake.
for sure what happens to these spirits, but
they are never seen in the location where the Calm Above, Hell Below (•••)
power was evoked for a year and a day. Spells for the Path of Maelstroms generally
bring Tempest energy from the Underworld into the
••••• A massive storm draining all energy from
physical world. This creates the storms above and
the corresponding region of the
calms the below. This ritual reverses that. It can only
Shadowlands. Both the area and its
be performed during a storm, and when complete,
reflection in the Shadowlands becomes
any normal storm in the area dies down. Extreme
utterly uninhabitable for ghosts. The
weather events are largely unaffected and can be
Restless Dead must flee the area, or else
used to perform this ritual several times, even
suffer five dice of damage per round until
decreasing the difficulty by one. However, it is
they do so.
rarely a good idea to sit outside in a hurricane for
Price of Failure: The magician’s control over several hours. The storm’s energy enrages the ghosts
these storms is tenuous at best. On a failure, the in the area. On a single success, they must make
Willpower is still expended but nothing happens. Willpower rolls (difficulty 6), or they begin lashing
Botches, however, result in storms that go out of out, attacking each other and even the living if they
control, both in the world of the living and the have the power to do so. If the caster achieves five
Shadowlands. When a hedge magician loses control or more successes, this additionally creates a
of the energies of this Path, they call forth a piece of Maelstrom, causing most ghosts to attempt to flee
the Tempest. This causes normal ghosts to become the area, before being attacked by the spectres such
disoriented and have difficulty moving around. disturbances inevitably attract.
Spectres, on the other hand, thrive in this
environment. These most malicious of spirits ride Shelter for the Dead (•••••)
the Tempest directly up to the Shadowlands and A powerful but only situationally useful ritual,
Shelter for the Dead can only be performed with the

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 41

 largest storms from the Underworld: The Great energies of death so directly. They feel the grief of
Maelstroms. No one knows how or when it was their ancestors, back for centuries, perhaps
developed, but it was first used to protect the ghosts millennia. This overwhelming despair at the loss of
of Constantinople during the Great Maelstrom countless generations leads to complications,
caused by the Black Death. The ritual is passed particularly for magicians who are low on
down by those few who know it to their students, Willpower. Finally, those energies cause harm to the
hoping that it will never be necessary but knowing user, and each spell or ritual causes the caster to take
how valuable it can be if the worst happens. At the one level of bashing damage per level of the power
cost of risking an extreme storm battering the lands being invoked, unless otherwise mentioned in the
of the living, Shelter for the Dead creates a region, description.
no more than the size of a modern city block, where
System
the Maelstrom cannot enter. Rather, if the pieces of
the Great Maelstrom do enter, they immediately are Aspects: Duration along with Ghost Binding:
transformed into brutal storms, with extreme wind, Ghost Binding
hailstones the size of fists, and other strange things, • The caster can see, hear, and speak to ghosts in
regardless of the usual weather in the area. The ritual their vicinity, whichever side of the Shroud
requires ten successes, almost always necessitating a they are on.
group, and lasts for one day, plus one for each
additional success beyond the minimal ten. •• The magician can now terrify the restless dead.
Filling themself with the necrotic energy of
the Shadowlands, the dead can see them as
Necromancy alive but infused with the power of death.
Some things should stay buried. Chief among This results in a –2 difficulty on all
them: the dead. But those who follow the Path of Intimidation and Subterfuge rolls against
Necromancy see things a bit differently. Like the dead.
Hellfire, Necromancy has a reputation for being
foul, practiced only by the worst of the worst. Unlike ••• The caster forces a ghost to take on a
Hellfire, this reputation is at least somewhat corporeal form, whether they could do so
deserved. Even the simplest of Necromancy spells on their own or not. For the duration, the
involve forcibly bending the dead to the magician’s ghost is for all intents and purposes a living
will, and the most powerful of them can manipulate person again, including the usual seven
the powers of the Shadowlands to affect the living as Health levels. If killed, however, they don’t
well. simply return to being a ghost. Instead, the
experience transforms the ghost into a
Though methods vary wildly with practice, spectre, a ghost consumed by and
Necromancy always requires that the magician’s subservient to the powers of Oblivion. And
first instruments include the preserved piece of the this spectre has a grudge against the caster.
corpse of someone they cared for, almost always a
family member. This creates the link between the •••• Any ghost can be summoned to the caster at
magician and the underworld, allowing them to this level. All the magician needs is the
become a conduit for the energies of death itself. ghost’s
While for mystical magicians, crafting such an True Name and to win a contested
instrument often feels natural, technomagicians tend Willpower roll. If the necromancer is
to find themselves with unique, grisly objects, like successful, the ghost must then
keyboards with keys made of bone or computer immediately arrive. Keep in mind that most
chips with brain neurons embedded in the circuitry. dead people do not become ghosts, and
Using this Path is difficult. Not in the sense of most ghosts do not appreciate being
technique — it is no more complex to use than any summoned.
other Path. Rather, it takes an emotional toll on the ••••• Masters of Necromancy can compel
magician. The living are not meant to channel the obedience from the dead. In addition to the

42 Sorcerer
 Path roll, they must win a contested Forced Medium (••••)
Willpower roll. If they do so, they can Some people are naturally easier for ghosts to
demand the ghost perform one simple task possess. These mediums may view this as a gift or a
or answer one simple question to the best of curse, but it marks them apart. These are the people
their ability. For tasks, the Duration Aspect who deal with the spirit worlds, and who ghosts will
covers how long the ghost must attempt to come to in order to either ask them to solve a
accomplish it. problem or else take over their body to compel them
Price of Failure: Failure for most Paths simply do so. This ritual gives the target the merit Medium
results in nothing happening. For Necromancy, the (BoS p. 69) for a week, along with a –2 difficulty on
despair of generations overwhelms them, resulting in attempts by ghosts to possess them.
a derangement, usually severe depression, for an Steal Life (•••••)
hour. If they have less than three temporary One of the darkest arts of Necromancy, masters
Willpower points, then the derangement instead lasts of the Path can steal the life energy from another
a week. Botches are truly dangerous, with not only living person. The caster first fills themself with
the derangements lasting longer (a full month) and death energy but doesn’t shape it directly into a
the near certainty of very angry ghosts, but the spell. Instead, before it can absorb their own life
magician runs the risk of being pulled out of his force, they push it into their victim. This transfer
body, leaving it apparently comatose while their takes with it the most recent five health levels of
mind spends the month “living” as one of the damage the caster currently suffers from. The caster
restless dead. heals those injuries. Most versions of this ritual
Sample Rituals involve carving sigils into the victim (or piercing
them with electrical wires, or any number of other
Deathsight (•) techniques) causing additional harm. Needless to
Normally, a necromancer can only see the ghosts say, very few survive this process, and those who do
around them. They can’t see the environment the often hunt the necromancer until the end of their
ghosts call home. This ritual changes that. With it, a days.
magician not only sees the Restless Dead, but can
actually peer into the Shadowlands. This effect lasts
for one minute per success on the ritual. While under
Necronics
the influence of this ritual, the necromancer cannot One of the newest Paths, only discovered by
perceive the normal world; only the Shadowlands ghost hunters in the late 1990s, the Path of
are visible to them. Necronics was first studied by “Black Hat” hackers
attempting to combine their understanding of
Wrapped in a Shroud (•••) electronics with the world of the dead. They use
The Shroud separates the world of the living various techniques to manipulate their own
from the world of the dead. It can be difficult to bioelectricity, or life energy, to affect the world of
cross this barrier, a fact which protects the living and the dead in some way. Because living energy is
the dead both from each other. Usually, either a antithetical to the Shadowlands, this tends to result
necromancer must reach across from the land of the in impeding ghosts’ efforts to manage their
living to the world of the dead, or a ghost must have hauntings.
crossed to accomplish something among the living, As a new Path, there’s a lot not yet understood
in order for them to interact. For one minute per about Necronics. Almost all current practitioners use
success on this ritual, the necromancer manages to electronic devices — usually computers, phones, and
actually stand between worlds, able to interact tablets — to cast Necronics spells. Though
directly with both without further magic. Both analogues in traditional cultures exist, those Paths
human beings and ghosts can interact freely with the may or may not be the same as Necronics, using
magician, for better or for worse. lower-tech and more traditional methods. Ghost
hunters investigating Necronics tend to be fascinated
by these practices. They think studying them will

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 43

 provide new techniques they can apply to handle zero,” and they “format” the space to a
hauntings. default pattern. When successful, there’s
In addition to the consequences of botching nothing left. For the duration of the spell,
noted below, Necronics holds one other great danger the region becomes uninhabitable to ghosts,
for the magician. Because users are manipulating causing the Restless Dead to lose Corpus at
their bioelectricity so strongly, touching them while a rate of 3 per turn until they can escape the
they are working is dangerous. Even the lightest area. If they fail to escape before running
touch by another living thing throws off the out of Corpus levels, they disappear.
magician’s focus and control of bioelecticity, Magicians generally believe these ghosts
causing a feedback loop to form. This feedback have been destroyed completely, rather
causes them to take a level of aggravated damage than the
and fail the spell or ritual. The magician needs usual consequences of running out of
immediate medical attention to stabilize them and is Corpus. As no Necronics expert has ever
left weakened (–1 die to all actions) for one week seen one that survived being “zeroed out,”
per level of the spell or ritual disrupted. this seems to be the best guess.
System Price of Failure: Because the Necronics
Aspects: Area, Duration, and Impedance: magician uses their own bioelectricity to interact
with the dead, botches are particularly risky. They
Impedance aren’t just extending mystical senses, but rather a
• The magician floods the local underworld with very real and physical part of themself. On a botch,
electrical energy, shutting down all active the intended effect doesn’t happen. Instead, all
ghostly powers. Ghosts may ignore this, ghosts in the area gain Pathos and Angst equal to the
continuing as they were, if they succeed on level of the spell or ritual being performed. They
a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). also become acutely aware of the magician trying to
•• At this level, instead of merely stopping a control or banish them and can affect the magician
haunting, the magician can increase the directly with their powers as though they were a
Shroud rating. This costs one success per ghost, rather than having to work through the Shroud
rank increased, with the first rank included or specific powers allowing them to touch the living.
in the base cost of the spell (so in addition Sample Rituals
to the regular requirements, 2 successes are
needed to increase the Shroud from 6 to 9). Shroud Bubble (•••)
Sometimes, when all else fails, the best thing a
••• Places can be defended from haunting by the
magician can do when faced with a troublesome
simple technique of tricking the ghost into
haunting is to hide and wait it out. The problem
haunting somewhere else. At this rank, the
being that ghosts have a nasty tendency to walk
magician can create a trap, a fake realm the
through walls and most other protective barriers.
ghost can haunt instead of the real location.
They also tend to be relentless, often obsessed when
A ghost can realize they’ve been tricked
their minds are turned to a task. Desperate magicians
with a Wits + Enigmas roll (difficulty 8)
being haunted by perseverant ghosts invented the
and can escape with another one.
concept of the Shroud Bubble to protect themselves,
•••• At this level, the magician may directly use especially when waiting for backup to arrive to
their bioelectricity as an attack against a handle the ghost more directly. The ritual requires
ghost. When using this rank of Necronics, three successes but increases the Shroud to 10 near
the Area and Duration Aspects are replaced the magician. In fact, the Shroud rating increases in
by Damage and Range. a sphere just large enough to contain them. The
••••• Masters of this Path are capable of effect remains stationary, so the magician can’t leave
devastating a region of the Shadowlands the area without increasing their risk from ghosts
and its inhabitants. They call it “creating a and lasts for 8 hours.

44 Sorcerer
Shut It Down (•••) complete. For this entire time, the ghost must be
Hauntings can vary in scale. For ones confined held within the same room as the caster, roughly a
to a room or two, it’s fairly simple to shut down the 10-foot by 10-foot space. Upon completion of the
powers the ghosts are using to interact with the ritual, significant changes can be made to the ghost,
physical world. More often, though, there’s a whole but each has a cost. They last for one lunar cycle by
building or larger area being haunted, and if the default but become permanent if the costs are
ghost is denied one room, they’ll just go to another. doubled. Some of the possible changes are:
With Shut It Down, a much larger area than usual • 1 success and 1 Willpower point per level to
can be quieted, such that ghostly powers are change Passions, and an extra Willpower to
impossible to use. The magician must mark the change to a different emotion.
corners of the building or area, which can be as large
as a full city block of empty land or a single • 2 successes and 1 Health Level — not
building. The ritual requires at least 3 successes, and damage, the Health Level itself disappears for
ghosts inside can only use their powers if they the duration — to add or remove a point of
succeed on a Willpower roll at difficulty 8. Angst.
Doxxing (••••) • 5 successes and 5 Willpower to overwrite the
By reading the currents generated by a ghost and ghost entirely with another specific
its movements, the magician can glean information personality.
from it. Each piece of information comes with a cost
and must be declared and paid for before the casting.
Any resources spent in this way are not refunded if
Oneiromancy
the ritual fails. No information is gained if the ritual The Realm of Dreams is a fluid place that
fails to achieve the number of successes required for responds to the mood and imagination of the
the information being sought out: dreamer. Some people, particularly those with the
Lucid Dreaming Talent (Mage 20 p. 294), can take
• Identifying a Passion — One success each. control of their own dreams, rendering normal bad
This identifies both the Passion and the dreams controllable, good dreams fun experiences,
emotion it is tied to. and other dreams possible sources of insight into
themselves. Without magic, though, the greater
• Nature, Demeanor, and Shadow Archetype —
Realm of Dreams is still locked away, with each
One success and one point of Willpower each.
dreamer confined to their own psyche.
• Identifying a Fetter — Much more difficult, Magicians who learn the Path of Oneiromancy
this requires two successes and a point of learn to walk into the dreams of others. Once there,
Willpower. they try to take control, and can glean information or
alter dreams to the benefit or harm of the dreamer.
• The True Name of the ghost — This requires At the peak of their power, oneiromancers can even
five successes and two points of Willpower. bring several people together in a shared dream.
Overwrite (•••••) According to legend, some can even make dreams
The ultimate expression of the Path of real or become capable of physically entering
Necronics, the practitioner concludes that all ghosts dreams.
are electromagnetic signals trapped in the matrix of a System
formerly living person’s personality. This explains Aspects: The Path of Oneiromancy has two Aspects:
why they’re so malleable, for good or ill. With this
Sympathetic Connection and Dreamwalking
ritual, the magician can rewrite the nature of the
ghost on a fundamental level. To do so, they must Dreamwalking
know the ghost’s True Name and possess one of the • Basic Oneiromancy allows the magician to
ghost’s Fetters. The ritual takes 12 hours and touch the dreams of others, seeing flashes
requires two Stamina rolls (at difficulty 6) to of imagery that could be interpreted to get

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 45

 insights into their target’s nature and Symbol Interpretation (•)
history. In their rush to control the dreams of others,
•• The oneiromancer can now enter the dreams of many oneiromancers forget even the meaning of the
others, not merely see them. They become name of their Path. Though none forget that oneiros
a part of the dream, forced to take on a role means dream, they think “mancy” simply refers to
appropriate to the dream itself. Once in the magic, rather than being derived from manteia, or
dream, changes can be made. The divination. A growing movement among
magnitude of the changes determines the oneiromancers across Fellowships — spearheaded
difficulty of an additional Oneiromancy by Prof. Jeremiah Marquette, who specializes in
roll, with creating small items being using dreams to access blocked or forgotten
difficulty 6 but violating the theme of the memories — is reviving lost information by
dream being difficulty 8, perhaps with a gathering aspects of the Path forgotten by many
Threshold. practitioners. He’s popularized a new ritual allowing
an oneiromancer to find the answer to any one
••• Dreamwalkers can now watch dreams from
yes/no question the dreamer has ever known the
the outside, seeing them clearly but not
answer to by reading the symbols of their dreams.
being pulled into them. They can now truly
The magician must have something of the target’s in
transform the dreams they encounter. With
their possession. They then must succeed at a Path
this rank, they can create terrors mimicking
roll and spend the night observing their target’s
the Nightmares Flaw or soothe a dream to
dreams with a specific yes or no question in mind.
the point of helping the dreamer regain an
At the end, they must make an Intelligence +
additional point of temporary Willpower.
Enigmas or Intelligence + Esoterica (Dream
•••• Dream Sendings become available to the caster Interpretation) roll. If they succeed, they find the
at this level. They can craft specific and answer to their question in the target’s dreams.
detailed
Bedtime Story (••)
dream sequences for their target that repeat
The most dangerous moment for an
once per success. If they repeat more than
oneiromancer is that first step into a dream. The
once or twice per night, the target can
narrative of the dream is in effect, and they are
become suspicious that their dreams are
forcibly adapted to it, sometimes losing themselves
being manipulated.
to it. Enterprising oneiromancers developed a ritual
••••• Masters of Oneiromancy can create shared to take control of the dream as it forms, mitigating
dreams, bringing one person into the dream the risk that they’ll lose control. This ritual must be
for each success on the casting roll. The completed as the subject goes to sleep and requires
environment begins as a mixture of their the oneiromancer be in the room with them.
subconscious influences, but the However, a single success allows the oneiromancer
oneiromancer can manipulate it further to direct the forming dream, broadly guiding its
using lower levels of the Path. narrative and themes.
Price of Failure: Botching on Oneiromancy Invade Demesne (•••)
tends to be psychologically harmful. Many Normally, the space created by the Demesne
oneiromancers get tossed into a Nightmare Realm, background is inviolate. Only powerful mages
which torments them in a way similar to the Paradox capable of finding them through astral travel can
Realms (Mage 20 p. 102-103) feared by mages. At reach them. oneiromancers, however, have tricks
best, they lose control of any dream they’re few others can reproduce. This ritual lets the
interacting with. Of course, even if they succeed, oneiromancer enter the Demesne of their target.
interacting with the dreams of someone with the Once there, they can try to seize control, though this
Nightmares Flaw can be its own sort of hell. requires a Path roll at difficulty 9, opposed by the
Sample Rituals Demesne’s owner rolling Wits + Demesne

46 Sorcerer
(difficulty 6). This is highly risky, and only the most moment of meditation or invocation, a
well-prepared oneiromancers should try it. sorcerer determines if an area or item is
Dream Scream (••••) charged with power (whether Quintessence,
vampire blood, Gnosis, or another mystic
While powerful oneiromancers can simply send
source). With three successes, the sorcerer
dreams to people as spells, with this ritual, they can
identifies the Resonance of said energy.
send a message to several people at once through
their dreams. The magician chooses a message •• Focused Awareness: The ability to sense the
consisting of a single sentence, fixes it in their mind, ebb and flow of energy transcends local
and performs the ritual. At completion, they can surroundings and the inanimate and crosses
send the message to one person per success within a into the realm of individuals. Now the
10-mile radius. sorcerer can perceive another individual
using subtle magics and allow them to see
Quintessence Manipulation obstructed meridians or occluded energy
flows. This reveals curses left on
Nearly all sorcerers can agree on one fact. There individuals or blocked Quintessence flow
is a flow of power that fuels their works. The name through the body imposed by malicious
of that power has taken on a multitude of faces and disruptions. The ability to gauge magical
philosophies: mana, qi, gnosis, shakti, sekhem, and potential in a subject also becomes
many others. Every magician can describe the flow available. While especially useful in
of energy as they work their will on reality. Coursing identifying potential threats, the amount of
through them like charge through a powerline, it can information gleaned in this way lacks
be felt, and for some it can be directly harnessed. detailed nuance to fully define if the
Through Practices like those of geomancy and feng subject is a supernatural creature or a
shui, hedge wizards can sense and redirect the normal human with a certain aptitude.
unrefined energy of the universe.
••• Disrupt: No longer held to observing, now the
In contrast, very few sorcerers consider this to be
skilled sorcerer can begin to affect the
a Path of its own. Most look to Quintessence
Quintessence around them. Still unable to
Manipulation as a standard exercise and refinement
bend and gracefully manipulate the energy,
of their already defined craft. Each magician’s
the practitioner of this path is at least
personal style already informs them how to achieve
versed enough to cause disruptions to the
manipulations to perform all their other spells.
flow around them. With their invocation or
Wands direct the energy, drawn patterns on boxes
focus, the sorcerer can quell the flow in the
create traps to hold it, while knives cut and disrupt
local area, causing a Quintessence source to
as they perform all their other works. Yet, those who
become dormant for a time. Disruption also
focus on mastering this fundamental skill on its own
can mean diverting. A flow of
find their work is never without a source to draw on,
Quintessence may be turned aside and sent
and their mystical surroundings are rarely a mystery.
along a new path in much the same way.
System Alternatively, with some effort a
Modifiers: –1 to –3 difficulty based on practitioner can trap a mote of
distractions in the surrounding area, with –1 Quintessence in a simple object for a
representing a loud sound system playing in the limited amount of time.
same room and –3 representing Time Square at •••• Control: Mere brute force gives way to nuanced
midnight on New Years. control of the flow of Quintessence within
Aspects: Area and Duration as well as Flow themselves, the world around them, and within
listed below: the pattern of others. The flows of energy
through themselves are now flowing rivers
Flow
with metered channels and locks allowing the
• Sense Surroundings: Sensing the energies of
practitioner to harness the Quintessence in a
the area becomes a routine task. With a

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 47

 place of power. Each success on an effort of great deal of time to become evident. They
this type allows the sorcerer to channel one become ill more often, finding it difficult to
point of Quintessence per success, up to the fight off a mere cold, and take longer to
limit of that area’s power. Quintessence drawn recover from simple injury. If left unchecked
this way dissipates unless used within the next they will inevitably fall victim to an
turn. environmental carcinogen or a malady that
An enemy’s flow of energy is now a viable target runs in their family history. On the other hand,
for disruption at this level of understanding. benefitting the flow of Quintessence in an
Stripping the energy from another’s pool individual will see the recipient barely ever
destroys one Quintessence for every success falling ill for more than a day, bouncing back
rolled. More alien energies of other from any injury as though it were a mere
supernatural creatures are still accessible, but inconvenience and living to a ripe old age.
doing so is more taxing. The energy of other Through this function the hedge wizard can
supernatural creatures is disrupted by one grant physical Merits or inflict physical Flaws,
point for every two successes. by spending 2 successes per point of the Merit
or Flaw.
The flow of energy through an individual’s pattern
is essential to their health. A sorcerer with this ••••• Rule: Masters of Quintessence Manipulation
knowledge can cause great harm or provide have attained a level of understanding that
great help, albeit over an extended period puts the flow of energy at their beck and call,
through something akin to a curse or boon. impressing even the Awakened. Now, stored
Altering the flow of another’s life energy can Quintessence can be directly infused into
promote or deteriorate their health but takes a countermagic, adding dice to countermagic

48 Sorcerer
 pools. Sensing Quintessence being directed, the
sorcerer can interrupt the flow of energy, prevent
-
ing another sorcerer from using Quintessence
of their own. Each success blocks a point of
Quintessence or Tass from empowering an effect.
Sample Rituals
Quintessence Infusion ( ••)
The ability to store and redirect Quintessence is useful
on a near daily basis for the sorcerer on the go. Thinking
in advance, a sorcerer prepares themselves for situations
where they may begin to run dry of available quintessence
by infusing drinks or snacks with their own reserves for
later use. Classically, this was a potion of great power. In
modern nights, the savvy sorcerer may decide the espresso
in a can or a protein bar may be just as handy, serving as
the perfect inconspicuous consumable. The one drawback
to this task is the fueling and the resource of the ritual.
For every Quintessence stored, another Quintessence
must be channeled to infuse the receptacle.
Shape Quintessence (•••)
Following elaborate diagrams or practices that align
with their style, the sorcerer can manipulate the flow
of Quintessence within an area. A gambling hall could
be made luckier for the house, or a particularly well-re -
spected ER could suffer higher mortality rates despite
the best efforts of the staff simply by manipulating the
ley lines beneath the surface. The energies will eventually
return to their original pattern, as the ritual holds it in an
elastic state for only so long. With proper maintenance
and continued observation, a location could be made
to take on the new aspects permanently.

Shadows
Power over darkness is a cliché that some sorcerers
have no problem clinging to out of ironic giddiness
or genuine belief. One wouldn’t be remiss in guessing
the Path of Shadows as the source of the concept that
dark forces empower the mystic arts, given how often
hucksters make the claim. Regardless of its reputation,
the Path does carry a foreboding and intimidating air,
as it shapes and shifts the substance of instinctual fear
— shadows and darkness.
Practitioners have found the application of the Path
of Shadows far more malleable than other Paths. Shadows
are omnipresent, and even in the brightest days stand
out and provide contrast. The availability of shadows
and the potential of adjusting the depth of shades grants
greater possibilities than less versatile Paths.

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 49

 One may think that the Path manipulates the or that rely on quick reaction time. A
quality of ambient light, focusing it away from darker Willpower test at difficulty 6 allows the
areas to make shadows appear deeper and more victim to shake the shadows from their eyes
menacing. This is patently false. Whether it’s a and focus on their task at hand.
magical implement or a dark matter enhancement ••• Entrenching: Not content with merely
field of the more technologically minded, this Path strengthening shadows, the sorcerer now
manipulates the very stuff of shadows. The actual animates the shadowstuff itself, letting it
nature of this substance is the source of much debate shift and roil about them. Should they take
in the magical communities, with a range of theories their deepening skills further, light now
just as diverse as those concerning the mechanism of withers in the target location, and color will
Awakening. What practitioners do agree on is that desaturate before the shadows. Affecting
shadowstuff can be used to great effect in a variety of another is now far more effective. Shadows
useful ways. shift and distort in their eyes, and unsettling
System whispers can be heard when the victim gets
too close to a pool of gathered shade. Being
Aspects: The Aspects of Area, Distance, harried in such a way causes a –1 difficulty
Duration, and Number of Targets, as well as on all tests. The effect can be broken with a
Shadowgrip listed below: Willpower test at difficulty 7. Finally, the
Shadowgrip caster can cause shadows to flutter or shake
The severity and persistence of the controlled creating visual diversions and increasing the
shadows is gauged by one’s Shadowgrip. When a difficulty of all ranged attacks made against
target attempts to resist the Path of Shadows, they the beneficiary by one.
make a Willpower test with a difficulty determined by •••• Commanding: The shadow’s “willingness” to
the selected Aspect. Any success ends the effect on act has become outright eagerness. The
the following turn or after one minute. torment the shadowstuff visits upon the
• Deepening: Bringing shadows deeper into our sorcerer’s foes is maddening and now causes
vision can create a distracting and a –2 difficulty on all tests made by the target.
intimidating atmosphere. Within an area the Any attempt to shake free calls for a
overall lighting itself may not change per se, Willpower test at difficulty 8 and may send
but the shadows deepen, and even sounds some enemies into a frenzy or rage if they
become slightly smothered at the edges. fail. Wreathing a target in benevolent
These shadows can also be cast upon others shadows gives a +4 on all Intimidation and
to confer the Path’s benefits, such as a bonus Stealth dice pools and any Subterfuge dice
to Stealth tests in shadowy conditions. pool that is used to mask one’s identity.
•• Shaping: Taking further mastery of the dark ••••• Ruling: Shadows know who their master is
material that comprises shadow, the sorcerer and immediately act with abandon at the
now crafts pattern and intent behind their sorcerer’s call. Enemies may be reduced to a
shadow weaving. Upon a successful casting, gibbering heap on the floor from the horrific
the sorcerer adds two dice to any pools maleficent shades. Opponents must succeed
involving Intimidation or Stealth as well as at a difficulty 9 Willpower test or be reduced
any Subterfuge test to hide their identity. to uselessness, crumpling to the ground. This
Conversely, the shadows can surround an test can be repeated on each of the target’s
individual and cast doubt and confusion turns, but the target may only act normally
upon the victim’s senses. At this level of on a turn in which they gain a success. If the
mastery, they are strong enough to cause the target leaves the affected area, they regain
target to hesitate or reconsider their actions the ability to act normally. The darkness that
due to the unidentifiable unease. This causes engulfs those who wish to remain unseen is
the target a –1 penalty to rolls made to dodge nigh impenetrable from without and within,

50 Sorcerer
 save for the sorcerer themselves, decreasing The biggest risk of this Path is that the human
the difficulty of Stealth tests by one. This mind is not equipped to change shapes. Every
darkness carries a weight so palpable, it may transformation incurs risk, but it’s greatest when
damage recording equipment engulfed by its making a full shift to an animal form. Then, even
influence. without a botch, the magician needs to roll Willpower
(difficulty 6) to retain their own mind, rather than
Sample Rituals losing themself to their animal nature.
Lifting Shadows (•) System
Shadows and shades hide secrets for those who
wish to hide them, but the learned sorcerer may reveal Duration: Scene
those secrets to those they trust. Smearing ink into a Aspects: None of the standard Aspects apply to
pair of contacts or funneling smoke into tight Shapeshifting. Instead, it uses:
swimming goggles, the sorcerer brings the sight of the Scale
recipient into the realm of shadows. For the next eight • Cosmetic changes only, such as eye color or
hours, night may be as bright as day. Once blessed, growing hair.
the sorcerer or their ally may treat all darkness as
•• Small but noticeable changes, such as growing
daylight when making Alertness tests based on sight.
claws or scales.
Grip of Shades (•••) ••• The magician can change a single body part to
Within every crevasse hides a little shadow. that of some other creature.
Within every shadow hides an ally to a sorcerer of the
Path of Shadowcasting. It is access to these allies that •••• Half-Shift: the magician can either change half
gives the sorcerer leverage in ways that many would of their body to an animal’s or take a form
never anticipate. By hardening the shadowstuff within halfway between human and animal.
the shadows on their person, the sorcerer may afford ••••• Full Shifting: The magician can change
themselves a modicum of protection against impacts completely into an animal.
and benefits from an advantage in hand-to-hand
combat. For 24 hours after bathing in coal-infused
Subject
oils, the sorcerer has rating 2 armor when soaking ••• The magician can only affect themselves.
bashing or lethal damage and adds two to all Brawl •••• The magician may transform another target.
and Martial Arts dice pools that involve grappling. ••••• The magician may affect two subjects at once.

Shapeshifting Disparity
••• Only a single animal feature.
Even among primal magics, the ability to change
into an animal stands out as exceptional. Many •••• The magician can take on two unrelated shifts,
monsters haunting the night have the power of such as the head of one animal and the body
transformation, including those who are true of another.
shapeshifters. Hedge magicians who study the Path of ••••• Three unrelated shifts are possible.
Shapeshifting mimic a certain amount of their power, Price of Failure: When a shapeshifter botches,
transforming first pieces of themselves and later their the best-case scenario consists of an unexpected and
entire body in dramatic ways. unpleasant transformation. They can also lose
Most think of this Path as turning oneself or themselves to their other form, functionally going
others into animals. When shapeshifting magicians feral. In a worstcase scenario, they can experience a
choose subtlety, they can be remarkable spies. They rampage similar to the Berserker/Stress Atavism Flaw
can make cosmetic changes to look like a different (Mage 20 p. 644).
person, and then supplement their disguise with
sharpened senses. They can transform into something Sample Rituals
more dangerous if their cover is blown.

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 51

 Face Theft (•) Much to the dismay and jealousy of the inhabitants of
The key ritual for Shapeshifting-based spycraft, the Shadowlands, only those gifted in Starlight seem
Face Theft allows the magician to take on the precise able to see the stars that they use.
form of another human being. They must have some Like navigators of the golden age of sail, Starlight
piece of the person, such as strands of hair or nail practitioners understand the unique sky of the
clippings. The ritual requires one success for a person Shadowlands and chart courses to safely travel
broadly similar to the caster, and an additional success through the realm of the dead. Simply knowing where
each if the form differs in race, sex, or by more than they are going is only the start of the power these
20 years of age. navigators have. Their minds produce a sort of
Fix the True Form (••••) protection and preservation shield for any mortals
traveling with them. This becomes a necessity for
Shapeshifters often find themselves in conflict
travel since the shadowlands have no air and the very
with one another. They also run into stranger things
ground is anathema to the living. This is no physical
with multiple forms. Fix the True Form was
shield against all harm, though, and any violent wraith
developed by one who claimed descent from
that means them harm can easily indulge that urge.
werewolves. It forces anyone targeted by it to take on
Should the duration of the spell expire, those traveling
their “true” form if they fail at a Willpower roll
will be exposed to the lethal environment of the
(difficulty 8). For magicians, they simply revert to
Shadowlands.
their natural form, as do most other shapeshifters.
Ironically, despite being created in part to force It is knowledge of the guiding lights of the
werewolves into their human or wolf forms, this ritual Shadowland skies that also allow navigators to open
forces Garou and Fera to take on their mixed forms doorways into the Shadowlands directly, completely
instead, often with terrible consequences for an bypassing the Shroud in the process. Any door can
overconfident hedge magician. lead to the Shadowlands; it just takes a lot of
preparation, and the journey begins. Moving quickly
Megafauna Transformation (•••••) towards the destination is advised, considering few
The Path of Shapeshifting allows the caster to navigators have been able to complete a journey that
assume animal forms, including partial took longer than one day.
transformations. But in the end, the caster can
normally only fully transform into a normal animal. System
This ritual allows them to become a gigantic version Modifiers: Decrease difficulty by –1 if carrying a
of whatever animal they want to transform into. In personal item of the recently deceased
most cases, this is a full throwback to an extinct Aspects: The Aspects of Duration, Passengers,
version of the animal, such as the megatherium (giant and Wending:
sloth) of the Americas. This requires at least five
successes. Wending
• The threshold is the first obstacle a navigator
Starlight must master. With focus and will, any
doorway can serve as a threshold into the
There are Paths that go back centuries and then Shadowlands. The door only remains open
there are some that only arise from the unique for the navigator and will allow them and
environments of the modern night. Urban sprawls their passengers to pass. Traveling
gave sorcerers a unique worldview and provided a companions benefit from the same life
compass for the lands beyond the Shroud. Peering into preserving effect as the caster so long as they
the lands of the dead is not a new concept to the remain within sight of their navigator.
magical community, but those who walk the concrete Anyone attempting to reopen the doorway
valley started to see a pattern in the stars of the once closed will find the mundane
Shadowland skies that matched the lights of their corresponding threshold. This door collapses
cities. Through study and the broadening of their after it has been reopened and closed again
understanding, the Path known as Starlight was born. by the navigator during their return from the

52 Sorcerer
 Shadowlands, or willfully collapsed by the magician can summon animals, spirits, ghosts,
navigator to close the way behind them. A demons, and other strange beings. They can also
different doorway in the Shadowlands can be defend against these beings, bind them, and compel
used to re-enter the Skinlands, but another them to obey the magician. Though overlap exists
activation of Starlight must be performed to with the Path of Ephemera, this Path focuses on
create the new threshold. There is a methods of compulsion, rather than cooperation, with
drawback to this technique; The destination the beings being called and dealt with.
in the Skinlands is difficult to know without All Summoning, Binding, and Warding magics
more capabilities as a navigator. are rituals, and rituals exist for reaching individual
•• The Shadowlands are more familiar to a beings or classes of beings. There are separate rituals
navigator of this level. Confidence swells in to summon, bind, and ward each target. This has led
their chest, and the realm of the dead seems many magicians to their doom. Though summoning a
far less frightening. While traveling in the being may intrigue it, attempting to bind them tends to
Shadowlands, the navigator benefits from –1 incur hostility, and magicians who either don’t know
difficulty on all Awareness, Leadership, or fail at casting the warding ritual often find
Survival, and Occult rolls concerning this themselves in a great deal of trouble.
environment, as well as Willpower rolls to In addition to the complications of each specific
overcome fear and intimidation. being or type of being the hedge magician intends to
••• The navigator has found a point in the work with, there are several versions of this Path
Shadowlands that is akin to their own which are learned completely separately. Variants
personal North Star. No matter where they exist for summoning material creatures (like animals
are in the Shadowlands, so long as they can and people), angels and demons, ghosts, spirits of
see this star, the navigator has a general nature, and other sentient beings. There are even
understanding of where they may exit into reports of variants focused on inanimate objects and
the Skinlands when opening a new threshold. virtual creations, allowing some magicians to ward
their computers against viruses or summon their cars
•••• The familiarity with the Shadowlands is now at need.
palpable to any traveling companions the
navigator has brought along. Traveling System
companions of the navigator benefit from a – Aspects: The three distinct parts of the Path have
1 difficulty to Willpower rolls made to separate Aspects. Warding has Duration and Strength,
overcome fear and intimidation, as well as each level of which subtracts one die from all actions
Awareness and Survival rolls made within the summoned being takes against the magician. For
the Shadowlands. three successes, Warding Strength allows the creation
••••• The navigator’s guiding light within the of a Warding Circle, which the being cannot cross
Shadowlands is visible to them even with without a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) where they
their eyes closed. No matter how deep they achieve more successes than the magician.
travel or how turned around they may get, Summoning has Duration as an Aspect.
the navigator will always be able to find their Additionally, it has Number of summoned beings (or
way to a door back to the Skinlands. swarms) and Metaphysical Weight for the summoned
Furthermore, they know exactly where their being. The summoned being is compelled to appear
exit from the Shadowlands will lead. before the magician but must still transport themself
there. Only the most powerful beings can truly travel
instantaneously.
Summoning, Binding, and
Binding similarly has the aspects of Duration and
Warding Metaphysical Weight, as well as Binding Intensity. A
Sorcerers in both fiction and legend are well- being may spend a point of Willpower to resist a
known for their ability to summon and control others, binding, but the binding can be recast. Some beings,
both living and ephemeral. With these powers, the especially those with Metaphysical Weight 5, are

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 53

 powerful enough to require binding rituals with large Though rarely consulted in the modern era,
thresholds in addition to the usual requirements — weather workers still practice in secret. The power
sometimes as high as 20 or more successes. Binding they command is dramatic and potentially life-
Intensity altering. Like healers, weather workers would be
• The creature cannot directly act against the constantly pestered to perform miracles if their
magician. abilities were commonly known. At the same time,
they would have to contend with those claiming out of
•• Any single question must be answered truthfully. fear and jealousy that the weather workers gained
••• All questions for the duration must be answered their powers through evil means.
truthfully, and the being may be compelled Weather workers rarely function alone. The
to perform one service, though they may amount of effort required to produce adequate effects
interpret the command liberally so long as often necessitates teamwork. Some form covens
they literally satisfy it. around the goal of group weather control.
•••• A single task is performed as directed, following
System
the orders closely.
Modifiers: Weather control uses no rituals. The
••••• The magician may transfer limited control of large number of successes required to produce effects
the binding to another person. The being lends itself to extended rolls and teamwork.
performs one task for them and answers any
questions the summoner asks of it. • 1 or more additional successes required to stop
a severe thunderstorm or worse once it’s started.
Price of Failure: The Path of Summoning,
Calm weather is easier to stir up than nasty
Binding, and Warding has no need for special failure
weather is to allay.
or botch costs. Instead, the consequences of failures
and botches are visited upon the magician by the • +1 difficulty to cause any effect indoors.
being summoned. The biggest source of these
problems is that, on a botch, the magician often ends Aspects: Weather Control uses the Aspects
up under the mistaken impression they have Distance (treat the measurement on the chart as the
succeeded. radius of effect), Duration, and Intensity:
Intensity
Weather Control • Small changes only. This includes warm or cold
In societies that relied heavily on agriculture or breezes, slight but noticeable changes in
seafaring, those who could control the weather were temperature, and causing fire to momentarily
prized, often being the difference between life and flicker and flare.
death in their communities. Famines have been •• The weather worker can cause minor affects that
prevented or ended, and the most powerful sorcerers do not cause direct damage. The sorcerer
have been known to dispel or divert natural disasters. might call up a dense fog that imposes
Weather control allows sorcerers to do what it perception penalties (see Mage 20 p. 435),
says on the package — they can control the weather. clear a cloudy sky, or create winds in the
While they can’t directly make enormous weather direction they desire.
shifts such as El Niños, what they can affect creates
••• A sorcerer may form and dispel simple
ripples through larger areas. No weather pattern
rainstorms. Strong winds can impose a
happens in a vacuum, and this remains true for
penalty on ranged attacks by blowing the
magical tampering with the weather. Many weather
projectile off course and causing difficulties
workers have some dots in Science, to account for
aiming. The weather worker may also
being able to discern upcoming weather patterns.
change the temperature up to 30 degrees
Many weather workers also learn at least a small
Fahrenheit in either direction. Depending on
amount of Divination for this purpose, frequently
the starting temperature, this may impose or
scrying in pools of water and clouds as their practices
remove penalties from heat illness or
for such.

54 Sorcerer
 hypothermia. Flash floods can also be ••••• The sorcerer can cause extreme effects.
deadly. Thunderstorms are well within the weather
•••• A weather worker’s storm strength increases. worker’s grasp. Destructive tornadoes and
They can now command gale-force winds, other powerful meteorological activity can
lightning, hail, and other damaging weather tear through a city. The sorcerer may cause 6
effects. They may now target individuals to + successes bashing or lethal every 15
take the brunt of the storm, and damaging minutes to those in the storm’s path. Anyone
effects do 4 + successes damage. Lightning caught in the storm also suffers maximum
causes lethal damage while bashing damage environmental penalties.
results from hail. Other effects may also Price of Failure: Even intentional weather
cause damage, within reason. Weather control effects might have unintended consequences
effects can cause moderate penalties to those on the environment both near and far. Weather pattern
caught in the storms. disruptions are no small matter. A botch, however,
unleashes terrible effects depending on the nature of

Chapter One: Hedge Magic 55

 the changes sought. Lightning might directly strike for the local fauna, plant life, and people who had
the sorcerer or their allies. An arid climate might be no time to prepare and may not know how to cope
hit with a monsoon the ground can’t accommodate, with the new climate. Death, even if not immediate,
leading to widespread flooding. The local climate is unfortunately a common risk when sorcerers play
and possibly the surrounding area suffers dramatic, with the weather.
perhaps long-lived, changes. This can cause a crisis

56 Sorcerer
 In contrast with hedge magic (see Cyberkinesis. Psychics tend to specialize because
Chapter One), which comes from hard work, study, starting a new Phenomenon has no roadmap for
and discipline, psychic powers are innate. Some are learning through solitary study or with a teacher.
born with these strange abilities, though many While some circumstances can trigger new
develop them suddenly later in life. Hedge magic may phenomena in a psychic, these are rare, significant
be something a magician does, but psychic events for the psychic in question. Going your whole
phenomena are a part of who the psychic is. They life with the ability to move objects with your mind
behave strangely, defying most methods of can be gotten used to. But then suddenly being able to
examination, to the point where those few who know hear the thoughts of the people around you? That’s
enough to study them still aren’t sure if psychic traumatic.
powers are simply innate hedge magic or something
else entirely.
Investigators have suggested dozens of
explanations for where psychic abilities come from,
with evidence as varied as the theories themselves. No
one theory accounts for everything, leaving the truth
behind these phenomena a mystery. In the end,
whether a psychic gained their powers through alien
manipulation, possessing a genetic throwback to a lost
civilization, a bizarre mutation, or a divine gift is
unknown and possibly not even important. What
matters is that psychics exist and have real powers.
Though many imagine comic-book superpowers
when they envision psychics, the nature of psychic
phenomena in the World if Darkness is far from this.
Most psychics have only the most basic control over
their powers. They fail often and find them difficult to
develop. Sometimes, their powers even activate when
they don’t intend them to! Psychics need a clear
image in their heads of what they want to accomplish.
Then they push hard with their will to make it so.
Sometimes, it’s trivially simple, other times virtually
impossible, and few can tell which it will be before
they begin.
In the World of Darkness, aside from being
unreliable, psychic powers are limited in scope.
Though psychic phenomena have tones of barely
constrained and poorly understood power capable of
consuming their wielder, they act on a personal level.
No one uses psychoportation to travel the Solar
System or pyrokinesis to level a city. Instead, they
hone their Willpower to keep their powers under
control and to use them effectively, if at all. Even
then, they are unlikely to change the world, but they
can at least make a difference in their own lives.
Though not impossible, very few psychics have
access to multiple phenomena. Those who do tend to
develop closely related powers, like Cyberpathy and

58 Sorcerer
 •
Psychic Powers Core Rules
In many ways, psychic phenomena are Botches can be extremely painful and, in addition to
simpler than hedge magic. Phenomena the Phenomenon-specific consequences, tend to leave have no
Aspects to worry about, no the psychic with a headache for days. rituals, and by default, no teamwork.
Willpower also controls psychic advancement. All Each Phenomenon stands on its own, Phenomena are
capped at half of Willpower, rounded with unique mechanics separating it from down. This means a
character with Willpower 1 can’t all others. Two psychics practicing the have any Psychic Phenomena at
all until they strengthen same Phenomenon may not immediately their will. It also means only the
strongest, most willful recognize each other as doing so. people can reach the fifth rank of any given
Phenomenon, While hedge magic is all about training and discipline making such psychics incredibly
rare.
and depends on Attribute + Ability dice pools, psychic Learning new Phenomena is simple: the psychic
phenomena depend almost entirely on a single trait: merely spends the XP and discovers a new talent.
However, Willpower. When the power comes directly from your this should always be tied into a story.
Learning a new mind, the strength of your will is the only thing that Phenomenon puts the psychic into a
small minority matters for making it happen. Every time a psychic tries among the already small population
of psychics. A new to activate a Phenomenon, they first spend a Willpower Phenomenon should change the
psychic in some way. point and then roll their Willpower rating against a It transforms how they see the
world as new pieces of it difficulty equal to the Phenomenon level they are using open to them, and they
realize they can do things they + 3. Unless otherwise noted, a single success suffices. couldn’t before.

Psychic Phenomena
These phenomena represent the most commonly Commune: A psychic may communicate
occurring psychic powers in the World of Darkness. with one animal the psychic can perceive
through mundane senses (sight, hearing, etc).
Animal Psychics They may issue simple commands but cannot
Some people are naturally good with animals, and command an animal to attack. The psychic
some psychics supernaturally so. This ability allows a can, however, command an animal to stand
psychic to exert their will to communicate with and down from an intended attack. Issuing a
control animals. Even the lowest expression of this command an animal was inclined to do
Phenomenon allows a psychic to put an animal at ease anyway requires no additional roll, but to
by bridging the communication gap, rendering it more command an animal to do something against
inclined to respond positively to the psychic. its nature requires a roll of Charisma +
Animal Ken with a difficulty of 9 minus the
A psychic may speak to and command an animal
psychic’s dots of Animal Psychics.
through a method of their choosing. Examples include
silently locking eye contact, imitating noises animals •• Mass Communication: As with Commune, but the
make, dressage gestures, the psychic’s native Psychic may now communicate with multiple
language, or a stream of gibberish. The method animals of the same species at once. Commands
matters much less than the psychic’s intent and force to animals may be more complex so long as the
of will. Even at its highest levels, this phenomenon psychic can adequately describe it; however,
does not affect insects or any creature, such as animals won’t typically attack for the psychic
jellyfish, which lacks a brain. unless already inclined to do so. This level may

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

59
 alternatively target a single animal for expanded mundane senses at once. The psychic’s
command capability. control is no longer limited to one species at
••• Mind Link: A psychic may link minds with a a time. Using Mind Link in this way can
single animal for instant two-way quickly become dangerous, as every linked
communication and the ability to sense what the animal presents a risk of backlash damage if
animal senses. The psychic must initially sense injured. The distraction of maintaining
the animal as per Commune, but the animal multiple mental links is overwhelming,
may travel outside of the psychic’s perception inflicting a -3 dice penalty to all Attribute-
range without breaking the link. This power based rolls until the Mind Link ends unless
ends when the psychic spends a point of Willpower
when making the roll to temporarily push
the psychic severs the link. The link can past the distraction.
prove dangerous — any damage the linked
animal takes results in psychic backlash,
which causes an equal amount of soakable
Anti-Psychic
bashing damage to the psychic. If the animal Anti-Psychic is the rarest psychic phenomenon.
dies while the link is active, the psychic must That said, it is very subtle. Many Anti-Psychics go
not only roll to soak the damage, but also roll through life unaware of their ability. It often takes an
current Willpower at difficulty 8. A failure attack by, or other serious misunderstanding with,
renders the psychic stunned for 1 round. another psychic before the Anti-Psychic learns of their
Botches can leave the psychic overwhelmed gift.
by the trauma of death for a scene and have Anti-Psychic Phenomena scramble the abilities of
lasting consequences, such as heightened other psychics with mental static. Those with a
startle responses, until the psychic regains scientific paradigm theorize Anti-Psychic emanations
one Willpower. use a similar basis for function as Telepathy. Instead
of projecting a signal the recipient’s brain can decode
•••• Domination: A psychic may order any single
as a message, image, or impression, the theory is the
animal to do anything within the animal’s
Anti-Psychic projects a signal that interferes with the
natural capabilities. The animal fights and
brainwaves responsible for psychic phenomena. Due
dies for the psychic on demand without
to the nature of this Phenomenon, it’s impossible for
question. The psychic must adequately
an Anti-Psychic to develop any other psychic
describe a command for the animal to
phenomena. They are, however, capable of learning
understand what the psychic wants. Complex
other Numina.
commands may still confuse an animal,
though the animal does its best to interpret An Anti-Psychic disrupts all other psychic
and carry out any command the psychic phenomena within their range of effect and enjoys a
gives it. Once the psychic successfully limited effect on those using the Mind Sphere. At
activates this power, the animal follows the higher levels, the Anti-Psychic may even disrupt
psychic’s orders until either the psychic vampiric Disciplines and Garou gifts. This
severs the connection, or the animal dies. Phenomenon remains perpetually active, even while
Psychics using this power must also the Anti Psychic sleeps, unless the psychic spends a
establish a Mind Link if they wish to point of Willpower to completely suppress the
continue issuing commands to the animal at phenomenon for a turn or direct it to a single
range. This does not require additional rolls individual. If using Anti-Psychic against Mind Sphere
or Willpower expenditure, but it does open effects or Night-Folk, the psychic does not
the psychic up to suffering damage when the automatically succeed but reflexively rolls activation
animal is injured or killed as detailed above. at difficulty 7 or the mage’s Arete, whichever is
higher. On a success, the effects of the Anti-Psychic’s
••••• Swarm: With mastery over this Phenomenon,
ranks in the ability applies. For more information on
a psychic may now use any lower ability on
all animals the psychic can sense through

60 Sorcerer
countering Night-Folk powers, see Mage: The A psychic’s body remains vulnerable while they
Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition page 546. are using astral projection, and the psychic cannot
The rarity of this Phenomenon represents a mixed sense what’s happening to it. It’s a common fear
blessing. While many would not anticipate the ability, among psychics with this ability that someone might
lending an element of surprise, the novelty can make move or harm their bodies while they’re away. Many
the Anti-Psychic a tempting specimen for tend to limit their use of drugs and alcohol, because
scientifically inclined supernatural entities. Whispered memory lapses can trigger the same fear.
rumors imply that the Technocratic Union uses Anti- Psychics can interact with astral spirits —
Psychics from their Extraordinary Citizens to bolster denizens of the Astral Umbra and other astral
raids on known or suspected psychics. traveling individuals. Astral Projection does not
• 5-yard radius. Add +1 difficulty to psychic confer the ability to see and interact with ghosts. For
phenomenon activation within the radius and combat while astral traveling, substitute Wits for
+1 difficulty to Mind Sphere rolls. Dexterity, Intelligence for Strength, and Perception
for Stamina. Astral travelers usually appear as slightly
•• 10-yard radius. Add +2 difficulty to psychic
idealized versions of themselves, including
phenomenon activation within the radius and
manifestations of gender or stylistic expression, freed
+1 difficulty to Mind Sphere rolls.
from physical or societal limitations on such
••• 15-yard radius. Add +3 difficulty to psychic expressions. Alternatively, those with exceedingly
phenomenon activation within the radius and poor self-image sometimes appear with exaggerated
+2 difficulty to Mind Sphere rolls. Add +1 perceived flaws. Despite potential differences from
difficulty for use of any mental-based Night physical appearance, astral travelers are typically able
Folk powers. to recognize each other should they meet again in the
•••• 25-yard radius. Add +4 difficulty to psychic physical realm.
phenomenon activation within the radius and Most psychics are only able to access the Astral
+2 difficulty to Mind Sphere rolls. Add +2 Penumbra, but the most powerful have claimed to be
difficulty for use of any mental-based Night able to travel further. Traveling into Otherworlds is
Folk powers. risky business, and more than a handful of psychics
••••• 40-yard radius. Add +5 difficulty to psychic have gone exploring, never to find their bodies again.
phenomenon activation within the radius and Some believe leaving the body uninhabited for too
+3 difficulty to Mind Sphere rolls. Add +3 long risks letting something else in.
difficulty for use of any mental-based Night • Peek: The psychic may spend up to one minute
Folk powers. per point of Stamina astral projecting and
travel up to one mile away from their body.
Astral Projection A psychic can only use sight at this level —
Astral Projection allows the psychic to split their their other senses do not function while
spirit, mind, or consciousness — or a combination of projecting. A character may also travel into
those depending on belief — from their body. The the Astral Penumbra for this amount of time.
astral form is intangible and can cover vast distances •• Errand: The psychic gains the ability to hear
in a short time, as it’s not beholden to normal laws of while astral traveling. They may travel up to
physics. Astral travelers can peer into and even visit 100 miles away from their body with a limit
the Astral Umbra’s realms of ideas (see Mage 20 p. of 10 minutes per point of Stamina.
94). The psychic using Astral Projection cannot affect ••• Journey: The psychic can travel up to 1000
the physical world through normal means, though miles away from their body and may remain
they may do so through other psychic phenomena at in astral form for 30 minutes per point of
+2 difficulty. Botching Astral Projection activation Stamina. A psychic may choose to manifest
causes a disorienting psychic backlash, preventing the as a blurry, ghost-like image of their astral
psychic from leaving their body for 24 hours. form for one turn by spending a point of

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

61
 Willpower but may not speak. They do not with Biocontrol can force their bodies to survive what
show up on recordings. appear to be hopeless situations. The mother who
•••• Failsafe: Upon being stunned or knocked out, lifted a car off her child, the man who never seems
the psychic may roll Astral Projection drunk no matter how many drinks he downs, and the
activation as a reflexive action. The psychic lone survivor of a tragedy are all examples of this
may use this power to seek help for their phenomenon. The more miraculous the expression,
prone body, or simply as a way to remain however, the more likely the psychic inadvertently
useful while otherwise out of commission. draws the wrong attention.
The psychic may manifest as Journey, and Beyond potential unwanted attention, Biocontrol
while manifested, the psychic can isn’t without risk. Botches can cause biological
communicate at whisper volume. The processes to go haywire at exactly the wrong time,
psychic’s voice and translucent form do not proportional to the effect the psychic was trying to
show up on recordings. The psychic may achieve. A psychic needing to reduce their oxygen
travel anywhere on Earth and remain requirement to survive drowning might increase their
projected for up to an hour per dot of metabolism and expedite their demise, but a psychic
Stamina they possess, though they may seeking social advantage with pheromones might
spend a point of Willpower every hour they embarrass themself by causing excessive sweating.
wish to continue traveling beyond this limit. • Mindfulness: The psychic concentrates on
They may use all senses as normal. Though altering their biological processes in minor
the psychic may return to their body at any ways. They can stop small wounds from
time before their normal limit is up, bleeding, raise or lower their core body
returning will not wake them unless the temperature by up to two degrees, hold their
cause of unconsciousness has resolved. breath for an extended time, ignore pain from
••••• Odyssey: The psychic’s astral travel abilities minor wounds, including wound penalties of
are legendary. The psychic can travel up to half their Biocontrol rating (rounded
anywhere on or in Earth, extending to at least up), and consciously regulate their blood
the edge of the atmosphere. Attempting to go pressure and pulse within normal range. The
further requires a Willpower roll at difficulty effect ends if the psychic’s concentration
9. So long as the psychic’s body lives, breaks.
including aid with life support technology, •• Healing Factor: The psychic forces their body
the psychic may travel indefinitely. If to accelerate the metabolic processes
manifested, the psychic may speak in normal responsible for healing and fighting
volumes and may choose to either appear in infections far beyond the normal rate. The
an indistinct, translucent form or deceptively psychic must spend time resting and
opaque and may stay manifested for up to an meditating, ideally while receiving medical
hour per point of Willpower spent. The care — the psychic’s still mortal, after all.
psychic may choose to show up on For every activation success, the psychic
recordings. reduces the time to heal the highest health
level by one
Biocontrol level, to a minimum of one hour for bashing
Most psychic phenomena involve the perception damage and one day for lethal or aggravated
or control of things outside the psychic’s body, but damage. After the first level of damage heals,
Biocontrol allows the psychic to exert will over their the psychic may roll activation again to repeat
body itself. A psychic can ignore pain, enhance the process. If using Healing Factor, psychics
senses, and even divert circulation or regulate can ignore the permanent impairment risk (see
hormonal levels at will. Mage 20 p. 408) so long as they have sufficient
nutrition and rest.
While others can afford themselves minor degrees
of control with biofeedback and meditation, psychics
62 Sorcerer
••• Surge: The psychic floods their system with including regrowing parts. They can
hormones at will. Psychics choose Physical, accelerate or suspend regeneration at a
Social, or Mental and split their activation cellular level and may nullify toxins with an
successes between attributes from the chosen activation roll. Each activation success
category to raise dots (to a maximum of 5 in reduces the Toxin Rating of the substance by
any attribute) for one scene. This can represent one. If the remaining Toxin Rating is lower
an adrenaline surge allowing for “hysterical than the psychic’s Stamina, the psychic may
strength” in an emergency, a surge of dopamine direct the toxin to a specific part of their
to improve mental function, or modulation of body to run its course, suffering an
serotonin and pheromones to make themselves Impediment (as the flaw, see M20 Book of
calmer or subconsciously attractive in social Secrets p. 39) for the duration of the toxin’s
situations. Deliberately causing hormone spikes effect. If the Toxin Rating is higher than the
strains the body: When the effect wears off, the psychic’s Stamina after using Biological
psychic must roll Stamina at difficulty 5 to soak Mastery, the psychic suffers the toxin
activation successes as bashing damage. normally at the lowered Toxin Rating. A
•••• Toggle Nerves: A psychic with this level of psychic may spend a turn concentrating and
control enhances or reduces sensitivity in their roll activation to soak lethal and aggravated
nerves for up to one scene per activation damage with Stamina for a scene.
success. The most common usage is temporarily
deadening pain. A psychic may ignore wound Channeling
penalties caused by pain by up to activation A medium stands before a group and calls forth a
success number of health levels — it doesn’t dead relative with some letter of the alphabet for a
allow the psychic to ignore penalties due to name. Some attendee says they know someone dead
nonfunctional or missing body parts. A psychic with that name. The medium lets them know that they
may instead choose to deaden senses to ignore crossed over peacefully, and the spirit wants the best
other noxious stimuli, such as powerful scents, for them. They forgive the living for some vague sin
sudden lighting changes, or temperature that the attendee acknowledges, and nothing further is
extremes. The psychic may ignore up to asked. Solace has been achieved and the medium gets
activation successes in distraction penalties and paid. The reality show does great, and popularity
may split the successes across multiple penalty grows. That’s all crap.
types. Alternatively, a psychic may increase In the psychic community, there are those that
nerve sensitivity, lowering the difficulty of channel the dead. It’s rarely for the purpose of making
perception-based rolls by activation successes someone feel better though. The dead are a wealth of
and may split the successes across senses. untapped experience that would make even the most
However, increasing nerve sensitivity comes at learned master blush with envy. That knowledge is at
a risk. Every success spent toward lowering the beck and call of the channeler, and when used
perception difficulty with a sense adds to the correctly they are never without the right skill for the
difficulty of resisting distractions using that task at hand.
sense while the power is active. If the psychic
Channelers come in all shapes, sizes, and styles.
increases touch sensitivity and sustains damage,
Some of them are into the classic ‘eyes roll back and
they suffer additional wound penalties equal to
speak in another tongue’ Victorian-era trope. There
their activation senses devoted to touch.
are a few that drink home-brewed concoctions they’ve
••••• Biological Mastery: The psychic achieves made for themselves that “open them up to the other
complete control over their body. They can side.” Modern channelers with a technological bent
stop and restart their heart at will, regulate use spirit boxes and EVP devices to get their
digestion, temporarily suspend the need for knowledge. In the end, the psychic is opening
oxygen, and put themselves in hibernation to themselves up to a wraith in the Shadowlands that has
force more extreme feats of healing — the knowledge they need. The better they are, the
Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena
63
stronger the connection to the skills and talents of the The channeler can now verbally
dead. communicate with ghosts beyond the
It’s a dangerous game to play, to be sure. Opening Shroud.
that door can lead to some nasty pieces of work •••• The psychic can now access any Talent, Skill or
sauntering into the psychic’s psyche if they aren’t Knowledge, maintaining multiple channeled
careful. When things go wrong, full blown possession traits as long as they gain sufficient
awaits the unfortunate channeler. But the flip side is successes on the activation roll to cover the
being able to bring in the knowledge of a surgical desired trait levels. Communication is no
genius in a medical emergency, an acrobat when longer hindered by a short window of
crossing a precarious ledge, or a stonecold killer when accessibility, and gazing across the Shroud
self-defense is required. Channelers are the first to say lasts a whole scene.
the risk is worth the reward.
••••• With a psyche girded by many trials and
When Channeling, the psychic can only bring
tribulations, the psychic is fortified enough
forth one spirit at a time. The psyche of the channeler
to now channel two separate personalities at
could easily be overwhelmed if more than one wraith
once. Note that each wraith channeled still
is given access to their being. Should the psychic
requires its own cost and power roll. Should
summon another spirit while currently hosting another
the Ability channeled be the same on each
from a previous channeling, the first is released and
use, the bonus dice from both uses are added
replaced by the second.
to dice pools using the Talent, Skill, or
By necessity, the channeler has some insight into Knowledge.
the Shadowlands, the realm of the ghosts. As they
At the pinnacle of their skill, with one spirit
grow more powerful in their practice, the channeler
channeled, the medium may open themselves to a
can peer across the Shroud for a number of minutes
wraith and gain all the Abilities of the visiting spirit.
equal to successes rolled. This is a separate use of
Successes rolled during the channeling roll are now
their channeling talent and costs the same as
available to any Talent, Skill, or Knowledge that
channeling a spirit for their capabilities. The difficulty
wraith may have possessed in life. The extra costs of
of this power roll is affected by the strength of the
channeling with such lowered defenses can be high,
Shroud in their area and has no restriction on
however. The spirit may request a favor, a task to be
frequency of use, so long as the psychic has the
completed, or even the right to freely control the
Willpower points to spend.
channeler’s body for a period of time.
• The channeler can tap into the other side and
draw forth a ghost’s Abilities, though they
may only access a single Ability per use of
Clairvoyance
this power. Successes on the activation roll Clairvoyance refers to the capability to see
become bonus dice for rolls utilizing the beyond one’s immediate surroundings and out to great
desired Talent, Skill, or Knowledge for the distances. In many cases, the projected sense can be
remainder of the scene. When gazing across any of the five senses, and the actual input received is
the Shroud, the psychic can gather a vague rarely something so simple as a one-to-one analogue
idea of the wraiths present. of the distant location. In most cases, the senses are
bombarded with interpretive sensations that all add up
•• The psychic can now access two Abilities
to a single unified idea of the location, person, or
simultaneously, splitting successes between
object being perceived.
desired traits. The channeler also can now
make out more of the Shadowlands when The more information a clairsentient has about
peering across the Shroud. The channeler their target, the clearer the image they receive. Reams
can discern details of the landscape and of reports sit in government testing facilities with
identify specific ghosts that are present. project names like Stargate, Grillflame, and Sunstreak
that tell of scouted psychics giving impressions and
••• Further growth now allows a third Ability to be corollary sensations to target observations. Items they
channeled, subject to the limitations above.
64 Sorcerer
were very familiar with were held in far off locations, around the psychic. Retraining their focus
mountain bases, desert outposts, and even submarines. requires another Willpower roll and another
The psychics would relay things such as getting a expenditure of Willpower to solidify their
chill, seeing a noon-day sun, or feeling as though they new remote subject.
were floating in a swimming pool. While a good start, •• Remote sight becomes more reliably achievable,
the practiced clairvoyant can achieve far more albeit still shrouded in mild distortion or
accuracy and clarity. The most powerful clairvoyants haze. Sound comes across far more
can see a location hundreds of miles away with crystal frequently, with a chance of being clear
clarity, and rumors whisper of powerhouses with enough to be understandable. Three
global reach. successes on the Willpower test affords a
Some confusion does exist between what near clear image of the subject with distorted
constitutes Clairvoyance and what is Astral sounds, while five successes grant crystal
Projection. There are those that insist they are the clarity and intelligible sounds that could
same phenomenon when mastery is achieved in either. convey the general subject and mood of
The discerning psychic sees this conflation as conversations near the subject. The psychic
laughable. The most well-informed physic scholars can now push their senses further — out to
might offer this clarification: “Clairvoyance obviously ten miles away from their current location.
takes advantage of the inherent connection between The difficulty of the roll increases by one
points in space, while the inner self leaves the body past 5 miles and by two at 8 miles.
and is sent traveling via Astral Projection.” ••• Clarity is no longer an issue, and remote sensing
This connection and familiarity with the subject of brings sight and sound across the expanse
their viewing has a direct effect on their chances of without distortion. The clairvoyant unlocks a
success as well. Finding more familiar targets requires new avenue of clarified perception in the sense
only one or two successes, while being a stranger to of touch. “Touching” a distant subject
the subject will increase the number of successes psychically returns muffled sensations, as
needed to locate it. Once a connection is made, the though their hands were encased in heavy
clairsentient can observe the location or the area mittens. With clarity no longer a concern,
surrounding a person or object to whatever degree of successes now define the distance a
clarity they achieved. A psychic attempting to refocus clairsentient can reach, with each success
their second sight needs to make another roll (with the representing ten miles of range. At this point, a
difficulty adjusted one lower for familiarity, if the new Willpower roll is still required to refocus
new subject was viewed from their first focus). but no longer costs more effort to perform.
• Experiencing remote locations is new to the •••• Sight, sound, and touch are all within the purview
psychic, and most observations are of the remote viewer. The clairvoyant also
interpretive. This impression can be a begins perceiving smells and tastes, with strong
physical sensation of cold steel for a knife, odors and flavors being detected when they are
the smell of gunpowder for firearms, or a in abundance. Range now increases ten-fold,
vision of a doghouse for guard dogs. In some with each success equating to 100 miles of
cases, an actual image of the subject can be range.
achieved, but this will be hazy at best. The
••••• The clairsentient master can remotely view a
one exception is hearing. Sounds come
location as though they are standing in the
across the mental bridge garbled and
room. All five senses are received with exact
unintelligible, if they can be heard at all.
definition, with no secret escaping their
More successes grant more literal symbolic
perception. Range increases ten-fold once more,
sensations, with five successes affording
with each success extending their reach by
actual visual perception of the target, cloudy
1,000 miles. Finally, so long as the psychic is
as it may be. Senses have a limited range for
refocusing on an element that they can see
novices and reach to approximately one mile
within their current clairvoyant
Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena
65
 view, no new roll is required, as they forge •• Remote: The psychic may control electronics with
new correspondences to subjects on the fly. their mind without having to use an input device
such as a keyboard. This does not give any
Cyberkinesis login or override credentials, but if the psychic
Cyberkinesis is one of the most recently knows credentials, they may enter them. Any
discovered Psychic Phenomena — the first instance action more difficult than operating an office
documented less than a century ago — and represents computer raises the activation difficulty. This
the ability to control electronic machinery by thought. power removes the need for haptic input devices
Experts in psychic phenomena theorize that if the psychic uses Augmented Reality (M20
Cyberkinesis is an information age variant of Operative’s Dossier, p. 58).
telekinesis. The psychic generates small
electromagnetic fields that control and alter the Difficulty
firmware and software of electronics, ranging from Modifier Example
fire alarms to super computers. +1 Controlling a small office’s server
Though the cyberkinetic may psychically control network or a home security system,
the machine, they can’t psychically read its contents using a 3-D printer with pre-loaded
without Cyberpathy. All powers above dot one require designs
the Cyberkinetic to have either access to the device’s
+2 Psychically driving an electric car at
display or to be able to access the device via
Cyberpathy. highway speeds
• Switch: The cyberkinetic may turn electronics off +3 Using specialized equipment such as a
and on without touching them. +2 difficulty 3-D printer with no pre-loaded designs
to activation if the electronic requires a +4 Directing a computer-controlled
physical relay rather than an electronic one. factory
The psychic must be able to sense the
+5 Operating a space shuttle
electronic device to use this power. This is
single-handedly
an exception to the usual requirement to
access the device’s display and applies to ••• Glitch: The psychic directs their electromagnetic
devices without displays such as light fields to scramble electronic processes by
fixtures. causing tiny internal shorts and power surges.

Psychics and Technomagickal Wonders

Cyberkinetics and Cyberpaths will mostly interact with mundane technology, and that’s what the
base rules for those Phenomena describe. In mixed chronicles with Awakened mages, or even as
part of a higherpowered plot, a psychic might run across Wonders like technomagickal Devices.
Unlike standard technology, technomagickal Wonders tend to be stubborn, have quirks, and
sometimes a will of their own. As such, they receive active resistance rolls against any uses of
Cyberkinesis and Cyberpathy. After the psychic rolls successful activation for their effect, the
Storyteller rolls the Wonder’s rating times 2 at difficulty 7 to resist the psychic. If the Wonder gets
more successes, the psychic’s attempt fails, but the psychic knows the device resisted their
attempt. If the psychic gets more successes, the psychic may proceed as normal, treating their net
successes as their activation successes. Botches rolled on a Device’s resistance may offer additional
future affinity towards the psychic at the Storyteller’s discretion.
A Storyteller may instead choose to allow the psychic to roll activation at an additional difficulty
equal to the Wonder’s rating in cases where the psychic’s intended action matches the nature —
and historical tendencies — of the Wonder. On successful activation, the Wonder does not roll
resistance.
If the psychic possesses the Cyberpathy power Enigma, Wonders roll to resist the psychic at
difficulty 8. The powerful decryption function allows a psychic to better reason with the Wonder in
convincing it 66
to workSorcerer
with the psychic.
For more information about Wonders, see Mage 20, p. 651
 They can cause computers to lock up or blue
screen and recording equipment to pick up only
Cyberpathy
static. The effect requires active concentration. As experts believe Cyberkinesis is an information
Most electronics return to normal after the age variant of telekinesis, they similarly believe
effect ends, but some older tech simply crashes. Cyberpathy functions on the same premise as
A psychic using AR may use this as an attack telepathy — the Cyberpath decodes electromagnetic
on Icons and other Digital Web objects, dealing patterns in a computer’s hard drives to access
bashing damage. Use activation to attack, and information, just as a telepath decodes electrical
substitute dots in Cyberkinesis for the weapon impulses in the brain.
modifier in the damage roll. If the psychic A Cyberpath must keep the computer in question
inflicts 3 or more damage in one attack, the in sight, except for Remote Access, where they must
target is stunned for a round. instead keep the entry point computer in sight. This
ability may also target storage devices and media such
•••• Spoof: The psychic tricks operating systems into
as flash drives, disks, and external or unconnected
letting them in without valid credentials. If the
hard drives. Typically, Cyberpathy takes 10 to 15
system would be able to perform the task, the
minutes, but each activation success reduces the time
psychic can force the system to do it. The
required by one minute. Until the psychic possesses
psychic may plant fake documents, install
dot 5, heavily encrypted systems increase the
malware, give themself admin privileges, or
activation difficulty. Cyberpathy proves most versatile
erase data.
when combined with Cyberkinesis but can also aid
••••• Overclock: The psychic overrides safety limiters mundane hacking attempts.
in electronics to force them to exceed their
• Map Structure: The Cyberpath can examine the
normal capabilities. A computer processes
directory of computers and storage devices.
faster or runs more intensive software than it
The Cyberpath can find the location and
should be
properties of all files stored but cannot
able to, an electric car accelerates faster, or access the files using this power. This can be
an office laser pointer becomes a weapon. useful for Cyberpath hackers looking for
Every activation success adds an automatic specific data. The psychic can use this level
success to the psychic’s next use of the to identify a device by its Augmented Reality
machine, but the exertion damages the Object ID if it is web-capable.
machine. Rolls to operate the machine after
•• Read-only Mode: As Map Structure, but the
this power is used suffer a dice penalty equal
Cyberpath may also read files. Plain text and
to the activation successes until the device is
graphics files are simple to view, and the
repaired. Acquiring 8 or more successes
Cyberpath may divine the functions of
when activating this power completely fries
executable files and applications. The
the machine after the Overclock effect ends.
Cyberpath is unable to decrypt encrypted
files at this stage. The psychic may view the
device’s associated ARO if it is Level 1 or
below and may divine the ARO’s properties
if it’s a higher level.
••• Download: The psychic can use their brain as
storage media, copying and pasting files
found

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

67
 of
The Digital Web
While any Sleeper can technically access Grid Sectors of the Digital Web through their devices,
psychics skilled in Cyberpathy and Cyberkinesis can experience these sectors like a mage.
Cyberpathy allows the psychic to access the Digital Web without relying on Augmented Reality (AR)
devices. The psychic may substitute Abilities when navigating the Digital Web as in M20 Operatives
Dossier p. 60 but may also substitute Cyberkinesis for Athletics and Cyberpathy for Streetwise,
Subterfuge, and Seduction.
A psychic can only affect the Digital Web with Cyberpathy and Cyberkinesis; no other Phenomena
function there. See the M20 Operatives Dossier Chapter 5 for detailed information about the
Digital Web. Any power that would be considered vulgar in a given Sector must be rolled at +2
difficulty and still risks the consequences of breaking a sector’s rules, even if the psychic can’t
personally incur Paradox. Yes, this means a careless Cyberpath can cause a Whiteout.
Cyberpaths may craft unique icons like mages can, and experienced Cyberpaths can be difficult to
distinguish from mages (Mage 20, p. 468) until their Awakened companions want to hop out of the
pen
the Grid Sectors.

using Cyberpathy. The Cyberpath may access

stored text, graphics, and videos at any time
from their mind, but cannot run applications.
The psychic may store a maximum number of
files equal to the total of their mental attributes
(Example: Coleen has Perception 4, Intelligence
3, and Wits 3. She may store 10 files in her
mind). Larger files and applications may use
more than one storage slot, while a zipped
folder may contain multiple small files in one
slot, at the cost of the psychic being unable to
read any of the files while stored in this manner.
The Cyberpath may later write any files they
saved this way to any media they can access
with Cyberpathy, with the option to either copy
the file to the media or transfer it from their
mind. If the device has a connected display
device, the psychic can combine Download
with Cyberpathy to write and display a file to
others in the same turn. Deleting files from the
psychic’s mind is a free action, but the psychic
may only delete one file at a time. Larger files
that took more than one storage slot take a
number of rounds equal to the number of slots
the file occupies to finish deletion, but the
psychic may perform other actions as normal
during deletion. The character may download
an ARO from a device to upload later to spoof
the device’s identity.

68 Sorcerer
•••• Remote Access: The Cyberpath may connect to coalesced spirit stuff flowing from the mouth and nose
any computer or device, such as external hard of the practitioner. Manifesting as slick, translucent,
drives, on the same network as their local and cold gel, ectoplasm flows weightlessly when not
device. given direction. Responding to the will of the
This power only allows the psychic to treat generator, the pliable spirit matter can take many
the remote device as if it were in front of ghastly forms to disgust or impede the unwary, while
them, and any other powers must be dissolving into nothing mere minutes after
activated separately. The psychic may access concentration is broken. Much to the dismay of
multiple devices on the same network at a witnesses, ectoplasm leaves no physical or spiritual
cost of 1 Willpower per device. If the device evidence at all once sublimated.
is capable of internet access, the psychic Possibly ectoplasm’s most useful property is that
may use this ability to access the internet, no matter how wispy, slimy, or goopy the ectoplasm
including the Digital Web. The psychic may may seem to the average person, it will be as hard and
use advanced AR devices as their point of immoveable as pure lead to the spiritual. Ghosts,
access with this power. wraiths, spirits and astrally projected souls all find
••••• Enigma: The Cyberpath becomes a living ectoplasm very solid and nigh impassable. This has a
decryption algorithm, able to crack even myriad of uses ranging from creating a barrier around
heavily encrypted systems and files with a room by smearing the walls to coating one’s hands
ease. The psychic may activate this power to in the stuff to allow the psychic to touch the
ignore difficulty increases for lower immaterial Shadowlands, whether with benevolence
Cyberpathy powers and mundane access on or violence. This Phenomenon does not allow the
secure and encrypted systems or files psychic to see into the Shadowlands unfortunately. It
previously stored using Download. The merely allows them ability to create a substance of
psychic may alternatively use activation both spirit and matter.
successes to increase Cyberpathy and • When one first starts exploring their capabilities
hacking difficulty for others on a file or as a generator, it starts with rather juvenile
device, at +1 difficulty per activation success seeming practices. Novice generators don’t
if the psychic possesses dots in Computers or find the act of creating ectoplasm difficult.
Cyberkinesis. The real difficulty lies in creating a
substantial volume and force. This leads to
Ectoplasmic Generation the fledgling generator being unable to force
the semi-liquid plasm from their orifices
There exist collections of séance photos from the
without assistance. Reaching into their
height of the occult entertainment phase of society
mouth, nose, and ears to draw forth the
that display roiling masses of translucent, weightless
substance by hand or by relying on
mucus hovering about the heads of session leaders.
peristalsis, the generator must work to bring
Most write these off as simple imperfections in the
it forth. Every success on the activation test
film and move on to appreciate the relics of
generates a softball sized volume of the
photography in their hands. True psychics know
sticky substance. It only lasts a number of
otherwise. Ectoplasm is the neutral spirit stuff of the
turns equal to the generator’s Willpower, but
ghost. A substance born from spiritual energy and
it can be applied as quickly as it is generated.
activity, ectoplasm exists as liminal evidence of
Covering an object with a thin layer of
something beyond the physical. An entertaining parlor
ectoplasm takes no extra steps beyond
trick for the initiated, this plasm is far more useful
generating it. The plasm sticks to all surfaces
than the layman may readily assume.
and does not wipe away easily. It will cling
Through concentration and sheer force of will, a and string
psychic gathers up ambient ghostly energies from
to anything touching it and only sublimates into
around them and brings it into physical being inside
nothingness when the duration expires.
their gut. This creates the unsettling sight of this
Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena
69
 Another novel approach users find early is the to their practice. All plasm phenomena now last
“smoking man” technique. When coaxed a number of minutes equal to the generator’s
correctly, ectoplasm can also come forth as a Willpower.
mist like vapor. Lingering licks and tendrils of A mist generated now gains a measure of
thick smoke seep from the mouth, nose, and tear responsiveness to the creators will. The psychic
ducts of the generator. Lasting for a number of can now push the mist outward into a cloud that
turns equal to the psychic’s Willpower, this moves and shifts at the generator’s mental
should be taken into account when dealing with command. The speed of the cloud is not
social interactions. Using the technique can add impressive at 10 feet per round, but it can be
a bonus die for situations such as a stage used to obscure prying eyes, imposing a +2
magician’s routine or intimidating an difficulty to Perception tests. This mist cloud
unsuspecting tough but incurs a −1 penalty to has a radius of 1 foot per Willpower of the
Abilities such as Expression or Leadership due psychic.
to the disconcerting sight of this ectoplasmic
cloud. ••• Plasm fluid generation is a child’s trick to the
seasoned generator. Each success on the
•• Once Ectoplasmic generators hit their stride, the activation roll now summons forth a gallon of
degree of advance in control is astounding. liquid in a steady flow. The force of the stream
With each success on the activation roll, a is not enough to cause an individual to lose a
psychic generates a quart’s worth of the slimy step, but it is enough for the generator to strike
fluid. With such an increased volume, the corner of the ceiling in a standard room.
assistance is not required to force the plasm out,
as it simply pours from the nasal and Ectoplasmic mists gain a degree of solidity. No
esophageal orifices of the psychic. There is no longer just smoky wisps, the mist is now solid
discomfort in this, and more than a few enough to feel like cotton candy to the living.
generators take a sick glee in others’ revulsion This is in

70 Sorcerer
 concert with increased volume of 5 feet of radius retain movement. Finally, all plasmic creations
per dot of Willpower. Attempting to force past the are no longer hindered by a time limit and last as
thick semi-solid mist requires a Strength + Athletics long as the generator concentrates.
roll (difficulty 6). Thick enough now that the mist••••• Full torso-ed, free floating, vaporous apparitions
is all but opaque, it also provides visual cover and are at the pinnacle of the generator’s craft. Still
increases the difficulty of seeing and attacking puppets of the creator, shaped creations may
through it by +3, similar to a heavy smoke grenade. now fully animate as appropriate to their com -
•••• Fluid and mist are useful, but access to solid plex forms. While unable to fool someone into
mass and crafted forms expand possibilities for thinking it’s the genuine article, the shapes can
creativity tenfold. The volume does not increase, now roughly mimic people and creatures, even
but now the channeler’s output can result in solid emitting groans as pockets of air escape within
matter the consistency of heavy lard. With greater the gooey form. The forms are still limited by
structural stability, the ectoplasm can hold definite the volume generated on the roll, with an adult-
shapes that are only hindered by the generator’s sized being of ectoplasm taking three successes
creativity. These creations have a number of to fill out. The creations follow the same rules
points equal to the Willpower of the psychic to for Attribute distribution as detailed above
be distributed between Strength, Dexterity, and but have 6 health levels and suffer no wound
Stamina. The creation has 3 health levels and penalties. Ectoplasmic puppets can be possessed
suffers no wound penalties. While not capable of and controlled easily by ghosts in the area. The
complex movements, the solid ephemeral creations psychic spends 1 Willpower to hand the reins
can move through space at 30 feet per turn. The to a nearby, willing ghost. The ghost then has
creations are psychically tethered to their creator total control of the ectoplasmic construct, using
and cannot leave their physical perception and it as though it were their own body. Once the
Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena
71
 psychic hands the body over in this fashion, any other mental ability used before they are
it lasts for a number of rounds equal to the raised once again.
psychic’s Willpower score, after which the •• Layers of mental chaos or thicker walls of the
puppet’s ectoplasm dissipates. Other mind are built. The psychic receives 4 dice
manifestations the psychic creates are not to counter mental attack phenomena and 2
affected and remain extant as long as the dice for mental attacks from other sources.
psychic concentrates.
••• The psychic’s mind is a confusing mess or a
sturdy bunker to any invader. The psychic
Mind Shields receives 6 dice to counter mental attack
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Many psychics phenomena and 3 dice for mental attacks
live by this credo. There are people and things out from other sources. The ability to modulate
there in the world that assault the mind directly, but one’s Mind Shields becomes clear at this
some psychics are gifted with the ability to prepare level. Whenever presented with a mental
against this potential threat. Building walls against ability that attempts to interact with the
mental attacks, ensuring thoughts are too chaotic to shielded psychic’s mind, the target may
control, or just inherent mental fortitude are all decide whether to let this pass their shields or
possible sources for this defense. not. Note that this doesn’t identify every
As the name implies, Mind Shields only affect ability used, merely that an attempt is
powers that affect the psychic’s mind. Powers that underway to access the psychic’s mind. It is
originate from the mind of another but affect the up to the deductive reasoning of the target to
world around the shielded psychic are unaffected. A work out who stands before their mental
psychokinetic has no harder a time lifting and holding gates.
a psychic with Mind Shields in place than they would •••• A mental bulwark or a confounding mire of
a normal person. scattered thought greets intruders. The
Mind Shields, being a Psychic Phenomenon, have psychic receives 8 dice to counter mental
an easier time dealing with Psychic Phenomena than attack phenomena and 4 dice for mental
other forms of mental assault. A vampire who wields attacks from other sources.
Dominate taps into the mind in a different manner ••••• The psychic’s mental fortress stands
than a psychic with Psychic Hypnosis. Unfortunately, impenetrable or infinite maze unnavigable.
Mind Shields are only half as effective against mental The Psychic receives 10 dice to counter
attacks from non-psychic sources. mental attack phenomena and 5 dice for
When confronted by a mental assault or invasion, mental attacks from other sources.
the psychic’s Mind Shields provide a dice pool to
counter the effect. The target rolls these dice Precognition
(difficulty 6) and subtracts their successes from those The psychic experiences clues about the future.
of the attacker. A defender that rolls more than the The future isn’t fixed and may change depending on
attacker disrupts the assault completely, and the attack the choices people make. The more decisions required
fails. For powers that normally call for a defense roll, for an outcome, the lower the prediction accuracy. No
Mind Shields dice are added directly to the defense seer has proven 100 percent accurate, except for the
roll instead. mythical Cassandra.
• Defenses are thin, but present. The Psychic Precognition allows a psychic to judge outcome
receives 2 dice to counter mental attack probabilities with above-human accuracy.
phenomena and 1 dice for mental attacks Scientifically minded psychics rationalize
from other sources. At this point, Shields are precognition as conscious manifestations of
always active and cannot discern friendly subconscious perception analysis. Mystical-leaning
and hostile effects. The psychic can lower psychics understand precognition as a sort of sixth
their Mind Shields to allow access to a sense with no scientific explanation.
friendly psychic, but this leaves them open to

72 Sorcerer
 While a psychic may activate precognition, a die to spot an ambush.
Storyteller may call for activation for story purposes, 2 The seer senses they’re in danger and
in which case no Willpower is expended for that receives simple instruction on how to
activation.
avoid it such as “duck,” or “run.” The
• Intuition: The seer gains a knack for guessing psychic gets 2 bonus dice to spot the
correctly. For purely random events (lottery,
ambush and dodges normally if the
dice rolls), the predictions can be rather
attacker remains hidden.
accurate. The psychic can intuitively know
the shortest route to a given destination and 3 The seer knows they’re in danger, how
enjoys a higher likelihood for beneficial to avoid it, and the direction of
chance meetings. The psychic experiences no the danger. The attacker doesn’t
visions, they just “have a feeling” and guess roll ambush and the attack
very well. Even with five or more successes, resolves normally.
predictions are unlikely to be entirely 4 The seer knows the details of the
accurate.
attack and gets a turn of warning. The
•• Insight: The psychic experiences dreamlike visions psychic gains a turn to prepare before
during sleep and waking hours alike. Like the danger happens.
dreams, they are rarely literal. Instead, the
visions are steeped in metaphor. An enemy 5 The seer gets a turn of warning and a
might appear as a fierce dragon or figures in vision of those responsible. The
clandestine robes, where a beloved mentor psychic will be able to identify the
might appear as a longdead parent. The imagery person by sight and/or with
depends on the seer’s paradigm, and while more psychic intuition should the
successes offer detailed visions, they are always psychic see or be in the presence
subject to interpretation. of the person later. The psychic
••• Danger Sense: The seer’s connection to the future imprint also functions on
becomes an early-warning system. The psychic recordings and creations, such as
perceives this as anything from a piercing paintings or letters, made by the
temple headache, to cramps, to a creeping sense attacker.
of dread. No matter the manifestation, it’s •••• Clarity: The seer enjoys a near-perfect view
always the same for the seer. This power is of the immediate future. For every activation
always “on,” though may be subverted with success, players and Storyteller announce
certain Sphere effects or the AntiPsychic their general future plans for one turn. If the
Phenomenon. When something unnoticed psychic interferes with time — such as
targets the psychic, the Storyteller rolls Danger moving behind cover to foil an attack, the
Sense activation before rolling ambush. This future changes, and the psychic must
power does not cost the psychic Willpower to reactivate this power for updates.
activate.
••••• Roads of Time: A psychic sees more than
Successes Effect only the most likely outcomes and their
relative probabilities. As Insight, but the
Botch The seer unwittingly puts themself in psychic sees time as diverging roads
worse danger and loses their roll to branching off at decisions. The seer
spot the ambush. identifies otherwise innocuous-seeming
Failure The psychic gets no intuition about the decision points before the choices are made.
situation. This also allows a psychic to see which
future events are difficult to change and
1 The seer senses they’re in danger but
which events are most malleable.
gets no specifics. They get 1 bonus

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

73
 Successes Time Range successes to the medical professional’s roll
1 12 hours up to the psychic’s Medicine rating.
2 24 hours •• Restorative Slumber: With a touch, the healer
focuses their patient’s body’s energies on
3 1 week
healing. Treat successful activation as skilled
4 1 month medical treatment for bashing and lethal
5 1 year damage and as magickal stabilization for
aggravated damage. The touch must last at
6+ 1 additional year per success
least one minute, after which the patient falls
Providing information about the far future can be into a deep sleep. At 3+ successes, the
difficult for the Storyteller. The Storyteller may patient also regains one point of Willpower.
instead grant one reroll for every precognition success ••• Urgent Care: The psychic’s healing ability
for the story. This represents the psychic’s ability to now facilitates the rapid resolution of mild
juggle relative future probabilities. A psychic may use injuries and poisons. A psychic touches the
as many of these rerolls on a single action as they patient and may heal up to their activation
wish. successes in bashing damage at a rate of one
per turn. Every two successes can reduce the
Psychic Healing Toxin Rating of a poison, drug, or illness by
Many cultures have legends of people blessed one, up to 3 levels of reduction.
with the power to heal through little more than a •••• Intensive Care: The healer may now heal the
touch. Some of these were likely psychic healers. By gravely wounded. The psychic heals up to 1
channeling their will and energy, a psychic may lethal per activation success and can reduce
perform miracles. Many with this gift choose to be the Toxin Rating of poisons, drugs, and
discrete about it — fame and pressure to perform illnesses by one level per success. Each level
miracles can be daunting, and the enemies a psychic healed takes 10 minutes, during which time
healer can make within the medical establishment are the psychic must maintain physical contact
detrimental. Practicing medicine without a license, with the patient. The process is clearly
even in areas with little healthcare access, remains supernatural to any witnesses, as wounds
illegal. miraculously stitch themselves shut and
Though not required, many with this gift have a harmful substances sweat out of the target’s
great deal of medical knowledge, often acquired skin.
informally. Nearly all psychic healers have high ••••• Psychic Surgery: The psychic may now heal
empathy, which some suspect the gift stems from. grievous wounds, cancers, and infections.
Botches when performing medicine of any kind The psychic heals up to 1 aggravated damage
are devastating, but a psychic healer might transfer the per success. Each level healed takes 10
injury or illness to themself. Other possibilities minutes as
include healing a wound grotesquely or misdirecting the psychic closes their eyes and gestures as
healing energies, causing autoimmune or cancerous if reaching into flesh. Healers may also use
responses. this ability to harm, by reaching into a victim
• Diagnosis: The healer instantly diagnoses disease and physically removing healthy tissue — a
or injury through sight or skin contact. The horrific and bloody process. Outside of
diagnosis terminology depends on the combat the psychic can use this power to
psychic’s medical knowledge — one with inflict aggravated damage on a restrained
little knowledge might describe lupus as “the target. Like healing, this application of the
body fighting itself.” A psychic may use power takes 10 minutes per health level.
Diagnosis successes in a complimentary roll Each success on the activation roll causes
(see Mage 20 p. 389) for Medicine rolls. If one health level of unsoakable aggravated
using teamwork, the psychic may contribute

74 Sorcerer
 damage. This use of psychic healing is the trance. The target ignores incompatible
sadistic and considered torture, but in commands instead of breaking the trance.
combat, there’s not enough time to use this ••• Implanted Suggestion: A psychic implants
power to its fullest extent. Psychic Surgery suggestions that will activate outside of the
can only be used in combat to cause pain — trance. For each success, the psychic may
it inflicts wound penalties as if the psychic implant a command or condition to activate an
had wounded the target but causes no implanted command. This condition may be a
damage. The victim may spend points of time or sensory trigger. One of the commands
Willpower equal to the psychic’s activation may be to automatically enter a trance under a
successes to “heal” the damage. specified circumstance. As Suggestion, the
attempt automatically fails if it would obviously
Psychic Hypnosis result in the target’s death or conflicts with the
While modern hypnosis is a form of therapy target’s Nature. Commands aren’t recurring
anyone could learn, some psychics have a natural gift unless the hypnotist spends an extra success to
for it with effects far beyond the trained variety. With add a recurring condition.
the increase in popularity and recent research on •••• Fast Trance: The psychic instantly puts willing
hypnotherapy, psychic hypnotists can practice their subjects in a trance and may spend a point of
gifts in the open without much fear of attracting the Willpower to put an unwilling subject in a
wrong attention. trance, though an unwilling subject may roll
Psychic hypnosis is neither as fast as vampiric Willpower (difficulty 7) to resist, with each
disciplines nor as versatile as the Mind Sphere. Even success negating one of the psychic’s activation
so, a particularly gifted hypnotist can achieve many successes. The number of net activation
similar effects. successes is the number of turns the target
• Trance State: The hypnotist puts a willing target remains in the trance. The psychic may roll to
in a calming trance state, though they cannot activate additional powers starting on their next
issue commands. In this state, the target can turn.
remember events and details more clearly ••••• Sleeper Agent: The psychic performs advanced
and gains a difficulty reduction to any rolls levels of brainwashing and conditioning, the
involving memory recall equal to activation kind governments clamor for. The psychic
successes, to a minimum difficulty of 2. The implants commands for the target to do
target also regains one point of Willpower anything, even to the point of death, and the
for every activation success, though they target consciously remembers nothing said
cannot benefit from this function again until during the trance. This power takes 10 minutes
they’ve rested normally. It takes five turns to to put the subject in a trance, which cannot be
place the target in the trance and the trance shortened with Fast Trance. The target must
breaks if anyone disturbs the target. The clearly hear the psychic’s voice. Additional
hypnotist may also put themself in a trance. sounds and distractions make the use of this
•• Suggestion: The hypnotist commands a target to power impossible, so psychics with this ability
perform actions after placing them in a often designate special rooms for the purpose.
trance. The psychic may give one command The psychic spends one point of Willpower to
per success, and the command can neither use this power on an unwilling subject. Each
obviously result activation success allows one command to be
in the target’s death nor go against the target’s implanted, and each command or condition
Nature. The psychic may force the target to takes one hour to implant.
ignore pain responses and forget commands
given in the trance as additional commands if
Psychic Invisibility
the psychic spends successes to do so. Only the Psychic Invisibility is not true invisibility. This
psychic decides when the target comes out of Phenomenon is like Psychic Hypnosis on a larger

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

75
scale but with limited scope. The psychic tricks chalkboard or opening a door. A psychic
others’ minds to simply overlook the psychic, as if may make a Wits + Stealth roll at difficulty

Vampires vs. Vampires

Occasionally, a psychic encounters a true vampire. The warped and bestial emotions are a taste
unlike any other. Difficulties for using Psychic Vampirism on Kindred are reduced by 2, and the
psychic experiences an intense, vibrant, and practically hallucinatory sensation. Unfortunately for
the psychic, Kindred don’t take kindly to becoming prey and may just find out how the psychic
tastes.
projecting the command “don’t notice me.” The 7 or higher to avoid accidentally breaking
psychic shows up on recordings as normal, but those their power in unfavorable conditions like
watching a live feed don’t notice the psychic. Their twig-covered forest floors or a room with a
attention diverts to other details in the recording motion alarm.
instead. This ability doesn’t prevent tripping ••• Invisibility: The psychic may now perform any
electronic or mechanical alarms that require no human action while invisible, even if those actions
input to trigger, such as motion alarms. would normally draw attention to the
Animals can’t be fooled with this Phenomenon psychic. Beings
unless the psychic also possesses Animal Psychics —
with mundane senses may make a Perception
their minds are too different from humans and
+ Awareness roll at difficulty 9 to see the
humanoid creatures. If a psychic blocks a door or item
psychic if the psychic attacks them or they
someone expects to see, the affected individual won’t
are specifically searching for the psychic.
notice the door or item either. If a being with
The being searching must exceed the
enhanced perception searches for the psychic or other
psychic’s activation successes. The psychic
supernaturally hidden things generally, they may
cannot vanish while someone directly
attempt a contested roll to determine whether the
observes them.
being pierces the psychic’s illusion, pitting their
appropriate dice pools against the psychic’s activation •••• Selective Invisibility: The psychic controls
successes. who they project the “don’t notice me”
Activation successes determine the strength of the command to. For every activation success,
Phenomenon’s effect. One success leaves the psychic the psychic may declare one person exempt
noticed but difficult to focus on and unable to be from the effect. Anyone declared exempt
identified. This also adds a +1 difficulty to attack rolls perceives and interacts with the psychic
targeting the psychic while active. Three or more normally, but everyone else is treated as if
successes keeps the psychic completely concealed the psychic activated Invisibility. Note that
unless successfully contested. Mind Shields and some others can still perceive anyone interacting
Mind Sphere effects can protect against this with the psychic, and this may draw negative
Phenomenon. attention.
• Wallflower: So long as the psychic remains ••••• I Was Never Here: At the highest expression
completely still and silent, they stay of this Phenomenon, a psychic vanishes in
unnoticed. However, the psychic needn’t front of witnesses and erases their presence
hold their breath — only heavy or loud from witness minds. The psychic rolls
breathing breaks the effect. activation opposed to the witness with the
highest Perception + Awareness pool. The
•• Slink: The psychic moves while invisible but witness rolls at difficulty 8. At one net
can’t interact meaningfully with the world. success, the psychic vanishes from view,
The power breaks if the psychic does confusing and unnerving any witnesses. At
anything to draw attention to themself or three or more net successes, the witnesses
interacts with the world, such as writing on a also forget the psychic’s presence for one

76 Sorcerer
 past turn per success. It’s possible that requires one success to taste the nuanced
witnesses could forget ever seeing the palate of a person’s emotions and give the
psychic, if the observation was short. vampire a pleasant high. At three successes,
the vampire regains one lost Willpower, and
Psychic Vampirism regains an additional Willpower per success
Everyone knows that one person you can’t be beyond the third. The vampire must be
around long without feeling emotionally and within 10 yards of the victim and be able to
spiritually drained. A psychic vampire could be sense them. The victim is unnerved, and their
anything from a DMV worker, a droning professor, emotions are muted — but not absent —
the one too-eager coworker who won’t shut up at a until the end of the scene.
meeting that could’ve been an email, or something far •• Invigorate: The psychic drains a victim’s vital
more sinister. For a psychic vampire, the energy and energies to empower themself. Every
emotions they drain from their unwitting victims gives success drains one temporary Willpower
a euphoric high unlike any drug in addition to other from the victim and adds it to the vampire’s
beneficial effects. Like many drugs, the feeling can pool, up to a maximum of 10 total. Every
become addictive. Willpower over the vampire’s normal
It’s unclear whether the power develops in those maximum gives a euphoric high and fades at
prone to using others as resources, or the effects of the one point per hour. The range is 15 yards,
power once it develops greatly changes people. In and the vampire must sense the victim to
either case, this Psychic Phenomenon can bring out target them with this power.
the worst in people. Of note to those who study the ••• Leech Vitality: This extremely dangerous
supernatural, psychic vampires often have or develop power allows a vampire to use another’s life
many of the same psychological idiosyncrasies force to heal themself and experience an
Kindred are prone to. indescribable high. The psychic must touch
• Tap Energy: The vampire feeds on others’ the victim for one turn per health level of
strong emotions, both positive and negative. damage healed, up to activation successes.
The vampire senses what the emotions are as Bashing heals first, then lethal, and then
they feed and may use this power to gauge an aggravated downgrades to lethal. Every
individual’s emotions over time. It only excess success

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

77
 that doesn’t result in healing restores 2 Willpower
points to the psychic, as Invigorate. Every success
used deals one lethal damage to the victim. If contact
is interrupted before finishing, the psychic does not
heal and must make another attempt.
•••• Essence Feast:The psychic isn’t limited to one
victim at a time. The psychic rolls activation to
determine the maximum number of simultaneous
targets, gaining one additional target per success.
All targets must be within 40 yards of the vampire,
but the vampire doesn’t have to be able to sense all
of them. On success, the psychic may activate any
lower power on the same turn, using the normal
costs and activation roll associated with the lower
power. The psychic is stunned for the next turn
— the influx of multiple flavor profiles at once is
as overwhelming as it is euphoric for the psychic.
A botch can cause a “bad trip” as if the psychic
ingested hallucinogens and leave them stunned
for the remainder of the scene.
••••• Distant Drain:The vampire’s mastery over tapping
vital energies allows them to re-tap a previous
- vic
tim over a distance. The vampire must have used
either Telepathy or another Psychic Vampirism
power on the victim previously. The activation
successes specify a maximum range at which the
vampire may use a lower power on the victim.

Successes Range
Botch May not use Psychic Vampirism
on this target for one month
Failure Nothing happens
1 500 yards
2 1 miles
3 2 miles
4 5 miles
5 10 miles
6+ +10 miles for every success
above 5

Psychokinesis about these feats sit in awe and wonder of the possibility
Every once in a while, there is a YouTube video, aofTV
moving objects with the sheer force of their mind.
special, a variety show, or a book published about some Psychokinesis, or telekinesis to some, is beautiful in
enlightened master who has expanded their minds to its simplicity. There are no subtle tricks or illusory veils.
the point where they can bend a spoon or shift a book There
6 is only the simple movement of matter through
inches across a table. Every person that watches or reads
space through sheer force of will. As the psychokinetic

78 Sorcerer
grows in strength, they hone their accuracy and increase Psychokinesis grants the psychic a Strength and
the maximum weight they can set in motion. The inex - Dexterity score for their actions once activated. This only
perienced only moves small objects, and very clumsilyrequires
at one activation per instance of the Phenomenon
that. On the other hand, a master psychokinetic can lift and remains active as long as the psychokinetic maintains
massive loads and move them at startling speeds, whileconcentration or until the end of the scene. Using psycho-
also being capable of feats of fine motor skill that mostkinesis requires the psychic be able to see their intended
have trouble performing with their own hands. target with their own eyes. Each success on the activation
Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena
79
roll allows for one separate target to be manipulated, with their action through sheer force. The
but the total weight of all targets cannot exceed the psychokinetic force hits like a punch from a
lifting capacity of the psychic. Any time the psychic distance using the psychic’s mental Strength
takes damage, they must make a new Willpower roll and their Brawl or Martial Arts as a dice pool
to maintain concentration. If they roll fewer successes to attack, with base damage equal to their
than the number of targets they are currently mental Strength. This attack represents
manipulating, they must select targets to release until concentrated use of the Phenomenon and
the number of targets matches the new success total. If cannot be used while performing any other
more successes are rolled, the number of manipulated psychokinetic action. This application is also
targets remains unchanged. instant and requires the full cost of activating
A psychokinetic with the power to lift a person the Phenomenon every time.
may do so unimpeded. The target is allowed a •••• The psychic’s mental Strength and Dexterity
Strength + Athletics test to grab hold of a sturdy are now 3, and they can move manipulated
anchor point if one is nearby to hold on to. If a secure objects at 11+ Wits yards per round.
grip point is not available, the target is helpless to stop
Yet another new application becomes available to
the power of the psychokinetic barring supernatural
the psychokinetic. The psychic has
advantages of their own.
internalized their psychokinetic force and
Once a target is being manipulated, actions taken now may levitate themselves regardless of
with the target use the Strength or Dexterity of the weight at a rate equivalent to their walking
psychic’s Psychokinesis and the appropriate Ability speed. This usage of the Phenomenon takes
required for the action. For example, a gun being greater concentration than most and
manipulated would call for a psychokinetic Dexterity therefore cannot be used while lifting other
+ Firearms test to fire. “Throwing” a manipulated targets.
object requires that the item be released while
••••• A psychokinetic master has a mental Strength
propelling it with an appropriate Strength + Athletics
and Dexterity of 4 and can move
test. The disconnect and lack of contact with a
manipulated targets at a rate of 15+ Wits
manipulated target causes all actions taken via
yards per round.
psychokinetic manipulation to suffer a +1 difficulty.
Attempting to perform a psychokinetic action with Both refined actions of the phenomenon receive
more than one manipulated item in the same turn upgrades at this level. Levitation is now second nature
requires the psychic to split their dice pool as normal and can be performed while lifting other targets, and
for taking multiple actions. Psychokinetic assaults may now cause bashing or
• With a mental Strength and Dexterity of 0, lethal damage.
the psychic can only lift a maximum of 5
pounds. Objects take a sluggish and clumsy Psychometry
path through space when moved and have a Psychometry is one of the more emotionally
maximum speed of 5+ Wits yards per round. taxing Phenomena to the psychics gifted — or cursed
— with it. By touching objects, the psychic can read
•• The psychic’s mental Strength and Dexterity rise
the emotional resonances left behind and see visions
to 1, and objects have a movement of 7+
associated with the object. It’s not always clear which
Wits yards per round.
objects have strong resonances: an office coffee mug
••• Growing power and understanding have could have only fleeting impressions. However, it
provided the psychokinetic with a mental could be a cherished gift from a child or even the mug
Strength and Dexterity of 2. Manipulated a worker had in her hand when she learned of a loved
targets move at 9+ Wits yards per round. one’s death.
Further unlocking their understanding of kinetic It takes mere seconds to read the resonances, even
force as a tool of the mind bears fresh fruit. if the vision seems to last much longer from the
The psychic can now make one ranged attack psychic’s perspective. The number of activation

80 Sorcerer
success dictates the level of detail the psychic insight into the owner’s current location to
receives. Many successes give clear and vivid track them. In addition to clearly seeing the
impressions, which are prone to making the psychic event with the strongest emotional resonance
feel the emotions and pain for a time, where fewer associated with the object, they also read
successes only give fleeting impressions. On a botch, emotional impressions and visions of the
the psychic becomes lost in the visions, temporarily other people at the event and their feelings.
merging in personality with one of the individuals ••••• Catalog: The psychic may use Tether on any
from the event and possibly acting it out. When a event the object was associated with, not
psychic with Psychometry touches an object with only the ones with the strongest emotional
immense emotional resonance, the Storyteller may impact.
call for a reflexive Psychometry roll.
• Impression: The psychic can get dreamlike Psychoportation
impressions of recent events involving the Psychoportation, also sometimes called
object

Who’s the Owner?

Normally, an object’s owner is straightforward. However, for the purposes of Psychometry,
especially at lower levels, the psychic usually gets impressions left by whoever possessed the object
at the time of the high-emotion event. If someone stole a weapon to commit a murder, the
murderer may appear more clearly
teleportation, is a powerful psychic ability to suddenly
than the rightful owner.
be elsewhere. This is one of the more powerful and
rare psychic phenomena. The occasional narrow-
minded Correspondence Sphere Mage has been put in
their place by watching a simple psychic psychoport
or more distant events with strong associated out of danger’s way without earning Reality’s ire.
emotions. The psychic at this stage mostly gets No one knows for sure how psychoportation
emotional readings and vague, figurative imagery. works, but some theories include dissipating into the
At 3+ successes, the psychic may also see an air and reforming in another spot, a variation of astral
accurate image of the person most closely travel, or personal wormholes. What’s known is a
associated with the object. psychic can’t carry more than about 100lb of extra
•• Reveal Scar: The psychic gets impressions of cargo without suffering severe strain, causing the
the event with the strongest emotional psychic at minimum 6 levels of bashing damage that
resonance associated with the object. They can be soaked normally. This increases by 1 level of
get dreamlike and imprecise images of the bashing damage for each additional 25 lbs. the
event. With 3+ successes, they also psychic attempts to move. Failing to soak the damage
determine the owner’s approximate age, results in a disastrous fate for the cargo, such as
personality cues, connection to the object, psychoporting the contents to the wrong location, into
and what the owner felt at the time. a solid object, or the nearest body of water. On rare
••• Replay: The psychic clearly experiences the occasions the cargo seemingly ceases to exist. To
event and may gather general impressions of travel to a place via psychoportation, the psychic must
what happened to the object’s owner the day see the intended destination with mundane senses or
of the incident. Alternatively, the psychic psychic abilities — their own or someone else’s.
may replay the object’s last 24 hours, even if A psychoportation botch typically means the
nothing emotionally significant happened. psychic misjudged the jump and landed inside a solid
object — or worse, a person. This causes 8 dice of
•••• Tether: The psychic may use the object as a
aggravated damage to the psychic and the
psychic tether to the object’s owner.
unsuspecting object. Occasionally, a botch might
Activating this level gives the psychic
Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena
81
transport a psychic to a hazardous or unfamiliar someone. After activation, treat the sparks as
location, or the psychic might leave or inadvertently a thrown attack with a weapon dealing no
bring something they weren’t supposed to. damage. This can be dodged normally. If the
• Short Hop: Range up to 12 + Intelligence yards attack succeeds, the target rolls Willpower at
in a turn. difficulty 6 to avoid being stunned for one
turn. On a botch, the target panics. The target
•• Simple Jump: Range up to 20 + (3 x
may instead spend one Willpower point to
Intelligence) yards.
suppress a startle response.
••• Long Jump: Range up to 40 + (6 x •• Combustion: The psychic concentrates on an
Intelligence) yards. The psychic may spend a object within 10 yards, causing it to burst
turn of concentration and roll activation at +1 into flame. The psychic can reliably light
difficulty to double this range. flammable materials like gasoline, dry wood,
•••• Leap: Range up to 80 + (12 x Intelligence) charcoal, and vampires on fire. At 3 or more
yards. The psychic may double, as per Long successes, the psychic can light anything
Jump. combustible, such as people, on fire. The
••••• Leap of Faith: The psychic no longer needs initial fire is as big as a torch and behaves
to sense a stable location to psychoport to it. and spreads normally. If the psychic targets a
The psychic may spend a scene studying the person or person’s clothing, the target may
location and successfully roll Perception + attempt to dodge as normal, treating
Alertness at difficulty 8 to commit it to activation successes as the targeting roll.
memory. ••• Sun’s Fury: The psychic can now turn small
balls of air into plasma and flame, which
Pyrokinesis readily lights nearly anything it touches on
Parapsychological lore speaks of “Firestarters,” fire. This power causes bonfire-sized fires up
individuals able to psychically start and sometimes to 10 yards away dealing two aggravated
control flame. Some parapsychologists suspect damage per turn from the intense heat.
Pyrokinesis is a variant of Psychokinesis, where the Targets may attempt to
psychic causes molecules to vibrate at high speeds, dodge as normal, treating activation
generating combustion rather than moving entire successes as the targeting roll. If hit, the
objects cohesively. target must spend a Willpower point or roll
Pyrokinesis is one of the more dangerous Psychic Willpower at difficulty 6 to be able to avoid
Phenomena to the psychics themselves; most psychics panic. If they remain calm, the target may
have no more defense against the flames they create immediately use their action to roll Dexterity
than any other human. Botches can be spectacularly + Athletics at difficulty 5, extinguishing
disastrous, and several pyrokinetics have gone out in a themselves on a success.
literal blaze of glory.
•••• Pyrotechnics: The pyrokinetic gains control
• Spark: The pyrokinetic can generate small over flames, including those produced by
sparks, usually from their fingertips. These lower levels of Pyrokinesis. The psychic can
sparks are typically only able to light highly grow, shrink, direct, and shape flames within
flammable substances on fire, such as paper their line of sight at will. With one success,
or gasoline, but with 3 or more successes, the the psychic may control a torch-sized portion
psychic’s sparks can light materials on fire as of flames. With three successes, the psychic
a match could. The sparks can light anything wrestles control of a bonfire. At five or more
within the pyrokinetic’s reach, though they successes, the psychic may command even
don’t have to touch the target. Even with an inferno. Targeting individuals with flame
many successes, the sparks aren’t hot enough is a Wits + Athletics attack at difficulty 7,
to directly light a person on fire, though the with +1 difficulty to avoid harming nearby
effect of a flame appearing can startle bystanders in the process. This attack can be

82 Sorcerer
 dodged. A psychic may extinguish a flame at the feeling that their head is wrapped in an invisible
will. A bonfire or smaller flame is blanket. As the psychic’s power rises, this is more and
extinguished instantly, but any larger flame more harrowing as the brain can interpret this loss of
takes an entire turn of concentration to sense as impending suffocation. While cruel by the
extinguish. reckoning of some, it can be an especially useful tool
••••• Inferno: The pyrokinetic now commands when getting someone off your back. • Scattering the
larger and faster-growing flames, which may edges of cast shadows and disrupting sound is only
appear anywhere in the psychic’s line of sufficient to increase the effectiveness of concealment
sight. The flames consume anything inside and demoralization. Shadows become slightly longer,
them with 3 aggravated damage per turn, reach somewhat further, while sounds are all
though targets on the outer edges may dodge unnervingly stifled. All Intimidation and Stealth rolls
as Sun’s Fury. At one success, the starting have their difficulty adjusted by −1. Targets distracted
flame is a small fire, but at three successes by darkening shadows and muffled sounds suffer a +1
the flames fill a large room, to a maximum of difficulty to all rolls reliant on sight and hearing.
Willpower times 3 square yards. If the •• The shadows now grow and bend to the will of
psychic maintains concentration, the flames the psychic. Sounds now baffle and distort,
are resistant to being extinguished by having the quality of being played through a
mundane means, taking rounds equal to the blown speaker. The psychic embodies the
successes gained on the activation roll to idiom of “to darken a doorstep,” as rooms
extinguish through smothering, water, or lose light when they arrive. Intimidation and
flame retardant chemicals. If the psychic Stealth rolls are made at −2 difficulty.
breaks concentration, such as by sustaining ••• Not only do shadows grow darker, but now the
damage or being knocked out, the flames psychic’s efforts causes light sources to lose
lose all supernatural properties and may be their power. Sound travels through a room in
extinguished normally. erratic warbles, and the words that are
intelligible have a perceptible delay with the
Shadow speaker. Attempts to see the concealed
We live in a world of light and shadow. The psychic suffer a +3 difficulty. The harrowed
psychic that understands this and learns to manipulate begin to feel a swelling anxiety and must
one side of that coin is taking advantage of an ever- make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) to avoid
present resource. Whether it is under an overhang, panic, suffering a -1 penalty to all actions
behind a stack of boxes, or simply within the cracks that don’t involve leaving the scene if they
and crevices of one’s face, the psychic manipulating fail.
shadows can put them to use to conceal and confound. •••• Spreading their gift of dark refuge, the psychic
Superstitious theories abound concerning what the can now cloak a small gathering of three or
psychic wielding Shadows is actually doing. The four people, possibly even a small coupe or
simple fact is they are manipulating light — and sedan.
sound to a limited degree — to dampen the world Victims of shadowy harassment must make a
around them. It may seem like the Shadow psychic is Willpower roll (difficulty 8) to avoid
wielding darkness, but it all boils down to simple panicking and immediately leaving the scene
science. Darkness grows darker and sound becomes to escape the darkness. Intimidation and
muffled as the psychic’s sheer will smothers active Stealth have a −4 difficulty in conditions that
waveforms in the environment. The spooky are ripe for exploitation. An already dark
atmosphere and reputation are just bonus. warehouse, a shadowy forest in the night, or
As much as shadows can hide, proper utilization a poorly lit parking garage all beg to have
of this Phenomenon can provide significant their deep shadows emboldened by the
distractions. Light and sound are intercepted before psychic. This amount of shadow
they can reach the target’s senses, giving the victim manipulation has an inverse effect in

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

83
 brighter setting, like midday in an open car another’s effect or allow the psychic to
park or standing on a school sports field with “borrow” the Willpower and temporarily add
all the lights on. The darkness around the the point to their pool, up to a maximum of
psychic draws more attention in the 10. If the Willpower isn’t spent, it can be
brightness of noon than it diverts. traded multiple times between the psychics
••••• In settings where darkness already lives, the in the link. Any sensory Phenomena
psychic is master. Standing in a location (Telepathy, Precognition, etc.) allow all the
where conditions favor shadows gives the psychics in the link to share the results.
psychic the chance to smother all light ••• Share Powers: The synergist forms a stronger
around them out to 50 feet. The darkness is link, allowing all psychics to use their
near impenetrable for those without mystic powers as a group. Each psychic may donate
sight, as even high-powered handheld lights up to two powers, points of Willpower, or
are swallowed by the inky black. All within one of each. Only one activation roll is
are completely shrouded and invisible to the necessary for group powers.
outside and others within, save the psychic. •••• Power Gestalt: As Share Powers, but now
The darkness is their own after all. psychics in the link may combine ability
effects to form one shared power. For
Synergy example, the group could combine Animal
A subtle ability, synergistic psychics often don’t Psychics and Psychic Invisibility to be able
know they have any psychic talent until after meeting to sneak past guard dogs unnoticed.
other psychics — it’s unusual but not unheard of for ••••• Power Network: The synergist may link
them to develop other Psychic Phenomena. This other psychics and remove the need for the
phenomenon is considered rare, but the power’s subtle psychics to touch, or even be in the same
nature may conceal the true number of synergists in place. A psychic with this level of Synergy
the world. Synergy allows psychics to work together first links everyone as with lower abilities,
to build effects more powerful than either psychic spending 10 minutes on combined focus and
could create on their own. meditation to cement the ties. Once the link
Psychics must be touching to form a synergistic forms, the networked psychics remain linked
link. The synergist may link a number of psychics and able to use any of the lower abilities for
equal to twice the dots they have in Synergy. Every a number of hours equal to activation
success above one adds automatic successes that can successes. This link does not fade with
be spent on actions the linked psychics take using distance, but if a psychic in the link takes
Phenomena. Botches can cause backlashes for all their Stamina or more in damage from a
involved, with the best-case scenario being a headache single source, all psychics in the network
or nosebleed, where the worst case can cause the must make a Willpower roll at difficulty 7 or
psychic phenomena of those in the link to activate be ejected from the network. If the psychic
uncontrollably. who formed the network is ejected, knocked
• Like Knows Like: The synergist can sense other unconscious, or killed, the network
psychics. This automatically succeeds if the automatically collapses.
psychic touches another, but the synergist
can roll activation to scan for psychics in line Telepathy
of sight. With 3 or more successes, the It is said that there are two kinds of people in the
synergist can sense the relative power of the world: people who wish they could read minds and
other psychics. liars. That statement, in and of itself, is a lie. That is
•• Share Will: The synergist forms a weak psychic because there are people in the world that can actually
link to enhance the power of the participants. read minds and they’re known as telepaths. Once they
Each psychic can either spend a point of sense the mind of a target, these psychics can plumb
Willpower for an automatic success on

84 Sorcerer
their thoughts for opinions, desires, fantasies, and exigence, is but one troubling example of the potential
emotions. for telepathic abuse.
As skill and power improve, the telepath can learn • All telepaths begin by sensing the surface
to broadcast their thoughts into others. thoughts and emotions of a subject.
Communication in this manner can be unsettling at Emotions include current mood, immediate
best to the unprepared and potentially outright desire, and mental wellbeing. Surface
scarring. Compassionate telepaths take time to inform thoughts are songs stuck in their head, active
those they intend to telepathically communicate with recollection of things like a grocery list or a
of what is coming, to avoid possible screaming and keycode as it’s punched in, or what they
incoherent confusion caused by unannounced mental think that smell was that they just sniffed.
invasion. •• Inner thoughts open to the telepath. With every
Those who have mastered their talent go one step success on the activation roll, the telepath
further and make those broadcasts seem like original may ask a single question about the target’s
thoughts, implanting ideas into the minds of their subsurface ruminations. These responses are
targets. This is not any kind of mental control or one sentence in length and as straightforward
hypnosis as one might think. At its core, this ability is as possible. Inner thoughts include political
more akin to ventriloquism — a form of ventriloquism leanings, favorite books or movies, or recent
essentially akin to psychic gaslighting, and a very memories.
dangerous and immoral act, but ventriloquism
The beginnings of telepathic communication open
nonetheless. The telepath mimics the inner dialogue of
at this level as well. For every success on the
the target and makes suggestions as though the
activation roll, the telepath can send or
thought came from the subject’s own mind. The uses
receive one sentence of mental
of this talent range from the relatively benign thought
communication. These communications
of “I could use a snack” to projections far more
happen at the speed of thought, and as such
sinister. Reading the target’s thoughts, then
do not take up any time within a round or
mimicking and repeating their darkest impulses to
require any dice pool splitting for multiple
actions.

Chapter Two: Psychic Phenomena

85
••• Deeper thoughts are laid bare to the telepath. Conversations over telepathic connections are
As with previous levels, every success on the no longer held to sentences. Full conversations
activation roll allows for a single question between two people happen in the blink of an
that is answered by the target These responses eye. The more impressive improvement is that
can be more detailed when the subject of the telepathic links can be widened to a net. Each
question is not a closely guarded secret. Deeper success on the activation roll allows another
thoughts include memories from the last 5 years, mind to be added to the conversation. When
passwords to social media accounts and bank multiple minds are added to the psychic’s link,
cards, and the names of everyone from their the excess telepathic bandwidth slows down as
immediate to extended family. the psychic’s mind is acting as a routing hub.
Telepathic communication comes much easier Conversations like this happen in real time, as
at this stage. For every success on the activation though everyone involved were speaking to each
roll, the telepath can send and receive several other around a table.
sentences (two or three) worth of communica - ••••• Insidious as it may be, the telepath can now
tion. Again, these communications happen at implant subversive thoughts into the minds of
the speed of thought and follow the same rules their targets. These thoughts can be of anything,
as above. but any train of thought that wasn’t already
•••• Subconscious thoughts and the deepest recesses present in the mind of the target requires a
of the mind are within reach of the telepath. Manipulation + Subterfuge roll (difficulty 7) to
Every success on the activation roll allows for a implant thoughts that complement the target’s
single question that is answered by the Storyteller. personality and desires. Implanted thoughts
Nothing within the mind is off limits at this point. that run contrary to the target’s personality and
Memories back to their childhood, forgotten desires suffer a +2 difficulty to the roll. Should
codes to facilities they used to work at, and even these thoughts take root, the target will begin
thoughts they have that they deny to themselves to act on them at the nearest opportune time,
about their loved ones are all fair game. convinced the thoughts are their own.

86 Sorcerer
88 Sorcerer
Affiliations
O established
ccult areas of
societies influence,
employ a and a list of
variety of practices
names and reinforced
titles for and
themselves. preserved
Brotherhoo through the
ds, momentum
sisterhoods, of ongoing
salons, tradition.
orders, and Many of
cults are but these
a few of the Affiliations
most also have
common enemies
terms who oppose
bandied their goals
about in and
arcane antagonize
circles. For their
the members.
purposes of These can
this chapter, range from
we refer to friendly
these rivalries to
societies as aggressive
Affiliations. hostilities.
Affiliations Many now
offer forgotten
support to Affiliations
their came to a
members, tragic end
training in in battle
the magical with arcane
arts, and the rivals over
camaraderie the
of a centuries.
community. This
Each of the section
Affiliations presents a
in this diverse
chapter has collection
a rich and of
storied Affiliations
history,

Chapter Three: Practitioners 89

 based in
cultures
T
from h
around the
world. e
These
Affiliations
are some of A
the most
well-known n
or
influential c
collections
of hedge
i
wizards. e
n
t
O
r
d
e
r

o
f

T
h
e

A
e
o
n

90 Sorcerer
 millennia
R old and
i from
cultures and
t societies
around the
e globe, the
s Secret
Watchers of
Favore
the Order
d
had
Attribu
secreted
tes: away scraps
Intellige of Truth
nce, within the
Wits framework
Favore of all occult
d Paths: and
Conjuration mysticism
, for when
Divination, humanity
Enchantme would be
nt, ready for
Summon, that Truth.
Binding, Master
and Agrippa’s
Warding visions
Within from the
the sacred Secret
tabernacles Watchers
of the and his
Ancient study of
Order of the these
Aeon Rites, ancient
sorcerers cultures led
study the to the
journals formation
and of the Aeon
teachings of Rites,
Master written in
Johannes Enochian,
Agrippa, the
who language of
founded the the angels.
Order in The
1873. sorcerers of
Based upon the Ancient
even older Order work
works, their magic

Chapter Three: Practitioners 91

 through who merely
careful need to be
study and set on the
precise proper path
rituals, to
couched in enlightenm
symbolism ent. It is the
and Order’s
corresponde belief that
nce that all sorcerers
may be should use
familiar to their
magicians abilities to
of any other guide
Practice. humanity
With into a new
ceremonial golden era
robes, of
prescribed prosperity.
motions, This might
and come
calculated across as
placement self-
of aggrandizin
meticulousl g if the
y crafted AOAR did
implements not match
, sorcerers words with
of the deeds,
AOAR take aiding other
a hermetic magicians
approach to in their
magic, search for
requiring enlightenm
study and ent,
execution founding
over more charitable
emotional organizatio
practices. ns, and
The doing other
Order’s good
masters act works. The
as Order
benevolent dedicates
teachers, the first
seeing other three grades
societies as of initiation
potential to these
recruits mundane

92 Sorcerer
duties. The the most
self- esoteric
centered mysteries.
and selfish It is
aren’t said that in
allowed to death, those
progress of the
into the AOAR who
inner have
circles of proven
the Order. themselves
Within the worthy are
next circle, accepted by
another 3 the Secret
grades of Watchers
the Order into their
oversee the ranks.
broader These
work of the Secret
society, Watchers
developing guide and
political advise the
connections Order but
, are rarely
maintaining seen.
their Master
significant Agrippa has
coffers, and appeared in
training the ghostly
newly form to
initiated, all provide
while guidance to
pursuing initiates and
greater magisters
truths and alike,
mastery of though such
Paths of manifestati
magic. The ons are
final 3 rare. Rumor
grades of abounds
the Order that the
are those Order is
who truly merely a
devote tool of
themselves Master
to study of Agrippa,
the Aeon who still
Rites, lives and
delving into pulls the

Chapter Three: Practitioners 93

 strings of
the Order
The
from afar. Arcanu
Most
members of m
the Order Favore
dismiss d
such Attribu
speculation, tes:
as there Intellige
seems to be nce,
no purpose Wits
for such
Favore
deception.
d Paths:
As a new
Alchemy,
generation
Conveyanc
of
e,
magisters
Enchantme
begins to
nt,
take their
Summoning
place
, Binding,
within the
and
upper ranks
Warding
of the
Order, The
they’ve Arcanum
begun to was born of
question the occult
this final heyday of
step. Is an the late
afterlife of 1800s,
continuing when
their work Victorian
within the high society
spiritual paid lip
realm a service to
reality, or is ritual and
it a merely esoterica.
a ploy to Frustrated
prevent with the
fully Hermetic
trained Order of the
magisters Rising Day,
from a new
creating society was
their own born not to
factions? walk
through the
motions,

94 Sorcerer
but to seek l, serving
knowledge only as
and truth. librarians
Regardless and
of culture observers.
and source, While the
the Arcanum is
Arcanum voracious
investigates for
superstition knowledge
, myth, and will use
pseudoscien other
ce, and contacts to
strange help gather
occurrences it, they
. The jealously
Arcanum guard their
believe secrets. The
there is Arcanum
another only reveals
world that information
borders our to outsiders
own, a under
place where direction
the stories from the
told by the Executive
ancients are Committee.
real. The
Through Arcanum
study of the operates on
tales and a series of
legends of tiers,
these starting
ancients, with the
they believe academic
they can community
find the at large,
kernel of where the
truth from Arcanum
which these also does its
stories recruiting.
grow. They Within
do not those
judge this circles, the
knowledge; Arcanum is
they ascribe known
no morality simply as a
to the scholarly
supernatura society,

Chapter Three: Practitioners 95

 supporting Arcanum
investigatio are these
ns into Associates,
fringe the junior
research. scholars,
The researchers,
Arcanum is or other
active in investigator
many s who work
publications with the
, including Arcanum
traditional but are not
media like actually
books and held to the
journals. rules nor
Recently, granted the
they’ve privileges
begun of a full
vetting and member.
supporting The
the works Associates
of that begin
individuals to ask
and groups questions of
across the the
internet Arcanum,
who looking into
investigate the purpose
and report of the
through society and
newer who begin
media like to seek
videos or enlightenm
podcasts. ent beyond
Arcanum just their
membershi personal
p is not focus, are
secret, and invited in as
they are Neophytes.
often These
approached Neophytes
directly by study under
curious a mentor,
academics often an
about Elder
joining the Sibling who
Fellowship. allows them
The first access to
tier of the the

96 Sorcerer
Arcanum’s wise are
literature given the
and honorific of
resources, “Elder,”
as though this
necessary. has no
Neophytes relevance to
are the age or
“children” seniority
of the within the
Arcanum, Arcanum.
there to In
learn and terms of
study, but organizatio
they do not n, the
contribute Arcanum
to the society
greater reports to
conversatio the
n of the Executive
society. Committee
With at the
examinatio Foundation
n and ritual, House,
a Neophyte under
graduates to direction of
a be a full the Grand
member of Chancellor.
the The
Arcanum, Foundation
an Arcanist, House itself
sometimes is an
referred to enormous
as a estate and
Brother, boasts the
Sister, or “Axis
Sibling. Mundi,”
While not a which they
rank above claim is the
the others, most
those thorough
members library of
who have all things
demonstrate arcane and
d supernatura
themselves l. Chapter
to be Houses
knowledgea around the
ble and globe

Chapter Three: Practitioners 97

 coordinate investigatio
and support ns. Within
local the Chapter
Arcanists. Houses, the
Each members
Chapter are also
House has connected
the freedom as a “lodge”
to organize of several
itself as Arcanists,
necessary often a
for the graduated
membershi class of
p’s Neophytes,
purposes, that work
taking on together to
roles help pursue
beneath the their varied
local interests,
Chancellor bringing
such as experts of
Financial different
Officer, fields to
Chief work on a
Librarian, single
or problem.
Sergeant-at- These
arms. These interests are
Chapter supported
Houses can by a
provide College,
lodging for helping to
Arcanists, organize
either on research of
the different
premises or fields like
nearby. the College
They also of
serve as Thaumatolo
secure gy, the
locations Hermetic
that an Studies
Arcanist Programme
can retreat , and the
to in the School of
event of Mythoarcha
trouble that elogy.
might turn
up during

98 Sorcerer
 guiding
Balam their people
o’ob to protect
Favore them from
the dark
d
spirits that
Attribu
come up
tes:
from
Stamina
Xibalba, the
, Wits Otherworld,
Favore or simply,
d Paths: the Umbra.
Alchemy, Vision
Healing, trances take
Shapeshifti the
ng, Balamo’ob
Summoning into
, Binding, Xibalba,
and where the
Warding first spirit
Within they contact
the jungles becomes
of their
Mesoameri wayob. The
ca, the Wakah-
warrior- Chan, the
priests of World Tree,
the Mayans, separates
the the earth
Balamo’ob and sky but
still watch also
over their connects
people. our world
They pass to Xibalba,
down venerated
teachings in symbols
that were of effigies
ancient at made of
the height rope and
of the wood. The
Mayan magic sap
empire, of the
bonding World Tree
with their is found in
wayob, a the sap of
familiar sacred trees
animal and within the
spirit-guide, mundane
and in turn, world, as

Chapter Three: Practitioners 99

 well as art. In some
various festivals,
natural Balamo’ob
liquid take on the
secretions guise of the
of the wayob,
human wearing
body. cloaks,
Bloodlettin pelts, or
g itself is a costumes to
sacred act, emulate
most them in
especially reenactment
when s of the
offering creation of
one’s own the world.
blood, and Those
while a few talented
drops of enough
blood are assume the
enough to form of the
enable patron as
smaller the festival
magics, the ends,
most rushing off
spectacular into the
or urgent night, a
spells physical
require representati
much more. on of their
This greater wayob but
bloodletting also the
is done by World Tree,
piercing the uniting
body with flesh and
coils of spirit, the
rope and celestial
dancing and
about, mundane.
streaming The
blood Balamo’ob
through the come from
air in the local
sacrifice. population
The dance of
is part and Mesoameri
parcel of ca,
the particularly
Balamo’ob the Mayan

100 Sorcerer
people now symbology
spread in order to
across the grasp
region. Few Balamo’ob
from afar magic.
— After
archaeologi learning
sts, these
anthropolog things,
ists, or when the
occult elder thinks
seekers — them ready,
have been the initiate
initiated takes their
into their first vision
mysteries. trance. This
The trance
Balamo’ob allows the
have had to aspirant to
keep their travel into
knowledge Xibalba in
secret from dream-
oppression form. The
across the great
centuries. Vision
The Serpent
teachings guides them
are passed through the
orally in final secret
Mestizo, a rites, when
dialect of the
Spanish and Balamo’ob
Mayan. meets their
While the wayob, an
language animal
itself is not spirit in the
sacred, form of
some things jaguar,
might be snake,
lost in eagle, or
translation. other, even
Along with mythical,
language animals.
studies, the From this
initiate day
must learn forward,
Mayan their study
cosmology is their
and own. The

Chapter Three: Practitioners 101

 Balamo’ob politicking
gains between
wisdom them. As
through each
experience, shaman has
learning their own
from other beliefs and
elders, and interpretatio
traveling ns, it is not
into for one to
Xibalba judge
with their another, so
wayob. long as they
The are
shamans, continuing
itzamna, of with their
the work. This
Balamo’ob openness
do not take allows for
on any some
formal Balamo’ob
organizatio to bond
n, but settle with spirits
within of darker
personal varieties,
territories which can
throughout lead the
Mesoameri shaman into
ca, for the rage-fueled
spirits raids
prefer to against
stay in outsiders,
places they profiteers,
know best. and
Relationshi desecrators.
ps between Others are
the drawn into
shamans political
are always revolutions
personal, or seek a
founding resurgence
alliances to of the
handle Mayan
problems, empire.
rivalries
where
conflicts
develop.
There is no

102 Sorcerer
 named Set,
The who wanted
Childre to rule at
any cost.
n of After a
dramatic
Osiris but
Favore ultimately
d failed
Attribu attempted
tes: murder,
Intellige Osiris’
nce, wife, Isis,
Wits saved him
Favore with her
d Paths: magic. Set
Ephemera, became
Healing, enraged at
Herbalism, Isis
and thwarting
Oneiroman him and
cy searched
In for more
ancient cunning
Egypt, long ways to
before the counter her
pyramids power. He
stood, found
before exactly the
Pharaoh edge he
Narmer sought
united the when he
upper and was
lower embraced
kingdoms, as a
there lived vampire.
a wise and Embold
studious ened by his
mortal king new power,
from Set
western demanded
Egypt Osiris hand
called him the
Osiris. throne.
Osiris had a When
jealous Osiris
younger refused, Set
brother frenzied
and

Chapter Three: Practitioners 103

 shredded continuous
his brother efforts
into 14 merely to
pieces. Set keep Osiris
scattered alive.
the pieces Distrau
across the ght, Isis
land to couldn’t
prevent Isis bear to see
from her husband
reviving dead or in
him. constant
This wasn’t agony. She
enough to frantically
stop the searched
determined for a better
sorceress solution
from and
gathering happened
the pieces across a
of her mysterious
husband’s figure who
corpse. promised to
After restore her
gathering as husband.
many She was too
fragments desperate to
as she discuss
could, all what the
the magic process
Isis and would
Osiris’ entail, or
coven what the
wielded cost would
miraculousl be, and
y brought agreed. The
Osiris back, mysterious
but figure
imperfectly. embraced
He was Osiris as a
weak. His vampire.
skin was Osiris
irreparably slaughtered
damaged his closest
from time friend in the
spent coven
decomposin immediatel
g. It took y after the
the coven’s

104 Sorcerer
embrace. sought
When he freedom
realized from their
he’d not Beasts and
only killed sorcerers
his dear seeking to
friend but reconcile
consumed life and
his blood in death to
a hunger become
frenzy, he immortal
was without the
horrified. flaws of
Overcome vampirism.
with grief, At first, the
he blamed sorcerer
Isis and and
vowed to vampire
find a way Children
to banish were
his treated as
monstrous equals.
impulses. However,
The coven after Set
fractured in finally
two: those killed
who Osiris, the
sympathize vampires in
d with the faction
Osiris and took
those who control. The
thought him sorcerers
an became
irredeemabl servants to
e monster. their
Those vampiric
sympathetic masters,
few were though the
the first undead
mortal Children
Children of supposedly
Osiris. followed
The Osiris’
Affiliation command
grew, that they
joined by never
vampires embrace
who their
likewise sorcerer

Chapter Three: Practitioners 105

 counterpart after tombs.
s. Some Children of
time ago, Osiris are
the vampire led by the
Children most
disappeared experienced
, leaving member of
the any gender,
sorcerers to whether or
their own not they’re
devices. the oldest.
The Initiation
Children of takes years
Osiris are to complete
small but and consists
slowly of solemn
growing rituals
due to modeled
increased after
worldwide ancient
interest in Egyptian
ancient funerary
Egyptian practices
lore and the followed by
recent guided
uncovering study of
of some of ancient
Osiris’ languages
tombs. and magical
They’re texts.
mostly They
congregated typically
in Egypt practice
and healthy
surrounding living, with
areas, but simple diets
those who and regular
aren’t based exercise
in Egypt encouraged.
make a All
point to Children
visit as regardless
often as of gender
feasible. keep their
They heads
organize shaved,
into hidden though
temples many wear
designed wigs

106 Sorcerer
outside maintain a
their one-sided
temples. rivalry with
This is as the more
much a powerful
ritual Cult of Isis,
practice as though that
a health- generally
conscious isn’t
one — encouraged
when the and is
Children of considered
Osiris was a
in its distraction
infancy, the from the
only way to truth in
reliably their
prevent lice studies. The
and progeny of
potentially Set have
deadly largely left
resulting Osiris’
skin mortal
infections followers
was to alone since
shave one’s the vampire
head. Children’s
The disappearan
Children ce, but if
still his
venerate descendants
Osiris as a found a
god, sorcerer
claiming he Children of
isn’t gone Osiris
forever but temple,
took his things
rightful would get
place as ugly fast.
king of the
underworld. The
Most
devote their Cult of
time to
meticulous
Isis
study of Favore
their Paths. d
Some find Attribu
time to tes:

Chapter Three: Practitioners 107

 Charis the Cult to
ma, fight
Manipu against the
lation murderer,
Favore Set, and his
d Paths: cursed
Divination, children.
Fascination, By the time
Fortune, of
Healing Cleopatra,
The the Cult had
Cult of Isis fallen into
is a disgrace, a
fractured broken
and shell of
disparate their former
lot, far glory, but
flung in as Rome
time and conquered
space from Egypt, the
their origins Cult joined
in Egypt at with the
the feet of worship of
the goddess other
of healing, goddesses,
Isis. and Isis’
Branches of name was
the Cult spoken
have ranged alongside
from those of
peaceful Juno,
magicians Ceres, and
seeking to Vesta.
nurture Fertility
humanity to cults spread
sorcerers of across the
nature that region in
blessed her name,
both field and more
and womb. mystery
After the cults
destruction diluted the
of the Cult into a
mother- myriad of
goddess, sects and
her son, branches,
Horus, took some with
control of radically
different

108 Sorcerer
beliefs and the past,
purposes. amid unrest
In and
modern heartache.
times, the The
Cult’s priestess
influence Semet
can be seen organized
in the the Cult as
teachings of street
Traditions medics,
like the nurses,
Ecstatics caregivers,
and and
Verbena, or mediators.
as The Cult
corrupted takes no
kindred points of
who now leadership
follow the and no
teachings of stance in
Set, but politics,
there is a merely
new Cult of caring for
Isis that has the
blossomed wounded or
in the wake those
of the Arab caught in
Spring of the middle,
2010. Led while
by a hoping to
magician keep any
who calls conflict
herself from
Semet, this escalating
branch of beyond
the Cult is repair. The
dedicated to symbols of
a new era Isis’
of healing horned-
and peace. moondisc
This started or her
as a small widespread
sect’s wings are
attempt to placed as
care for the guideposts
relics and for refuge
hidden and safety.
wonders of This sect of

Chapter Three: Practitioners 109

 the Cult has continued
not forgone in more
the mystic traditional
teachings of fashions.
Isis. Amidst Cults of
a social fertility that
media are tied to
organizatio sensuality
n of and sex
amateur draw on
medics, the natural
Cult works drives of
their magic, humanity
tending to — ecstatic
the worst experiences
wounds that that bring
they one closer
promise to the
“are not as goddess
bad as they and power
appear.” their magic.
Behind Egyptian
closed hieroglyphi
doors, the cs, Demotic
modern chanting,
priesthood and precise
of Isis geomantic
performs architecture
rituals to empower
bless the rituals that
hands of the have been
workers, passed
and sacred down for
amulets are more than
enchanted seven
for millennia.
protection These Cults
of their have grown
members. and
While travelled
Semet’s far, first
branch of from Egypt
the Cult to Rome,
grows and then across
spreads the Roman
across the Empire, and
region, now to
other Cults every
have corner of

110 Sorcerer
the globe Favore
with dozens d Paths:
of faces forConjuration
the ,
goddess. Conveyanc
Secretive e,
sects that Divination,
work social Fortune for
manipulatio the Roman
n andtemple.
control, Replace
caring one with a
sororities Path
that revere applicable
all sacred to the local
goddesses, temple’s
or some of interpretatio
the fewn of
who still
Mercury at
support Storyteller
Horus, Isis’discretion.
immortal The
son, in his Cult of
quest for
Mercury
vengeance, was
all revere founded in
the ancient
goddess’ Rome
name and among
count many
themselves similar
as a Cult ofcults
Isis. devoted to
specific
The deities in
the local
Cult of and nearby
pantheons.
Mercur Their first
y temple was
in the
Favore
Circus
d
Maximus,
Attribu
near a horse
tes: racing track
Charism and popular
a, merchant
Stamina site, a
fitting

Chapter Three: Practitioners 111

 location for together
a god of require
financial several
fortune and layers of
quick leadership
travel. to organize
Local all the
merchants, moving
and later parts.
even During
senators, rituals, all
flocked to sorcerers
the cult to wear clean
aide their white robes,
lofty tunics,
aspirations togas, or
of power. other more
Despite regionally
attracting appropriate
populations white
that might clothing in
otherwise temples
be prone to outside
cutthroat Rome.
ambitions, Rituals
the Cult of include
Mercury incense,
requires coordinated
immense movement,
teamwork. burning
The cult candles,
exclusively holding
performs objects
ritual associated
magic, with the
organizing ritual’s
up to intent, and
hundreds of the entire
followers in gathering
intricate chanting in
cooperative Latin and
practice to ancient
create their Greek.
effects. The Devote
sheer es of a god
number of of travel,
sorcerers members of
performing the Cult of
rituals Mercury

112 Sorcerer
without such as
local Shapeshifti
political ng for the
aspirations aspect
traveled Mercurius
and formed Artaios, a
new god of
congregatio bears and
ns as a way hunting in
to quickly south-
gain rank in eastern
the cult. As France.
the Cult of Practices
Mercury are
spread to similarly
other localized
regions with ritual
through elements
both traditional
Roman to the first
conquests congregants
and of the
merchant region.
trade, the The
cultists Cult of
likened Mercury
Mercury to suffered a
the local major blow
deities, to
claiming leadership
these other and
deities to member
simply be retention
different when
aspects and Constantine
understandi converted
ngs of the Roman
Mercury. Empire to
Accordingl Christianity
y, temples . Many who
may focus joined for
on Paths favorable
more luck figured
applicable they
to their wouldn’t be
local testing fate
interpretatio as much to
n of join the
Mercury, new

Chapter Three: Practitioners 113

 majority members
and state- die off and
sponsored the
religion numbers no
rather than longer
stick with sustain the
what they elaborate
knew. ritual work.
Those The cult
temples that prefers the
continued ambitious
to practice and
hid their adventurous
religion by , but in the
masqueradi end the
ng as leadership
Christian isn’t picky
churches. so long as
The effects there are
of this shift enough
linger into underlings
the modern for rituals
day with to function.
leadership Parents are
positions in encouraged
the Cult of to bring
Mercury their
sharing children
names with into the cult
Catholic when
church they’re old
ranks. enough to
The perform
Cult of simple
Mercury ancillary
seeks to ritual tasks
capitalize — and keep
on the secrets in
recent surge areas where
in the practice
popularity is
of ancient stigmatized.
religions. The
Without Cult of
sufficient Mercury
converts, can perform
entire amazing
temples fail feats when
when older in full

114 Sorcerer
force, but for cultists
they’re with
limited to leadership
ritual magic roles or
with no aspirations,
fewer than while the
50 average
participants cultist in a
. While a congregatio
cultist can’t n may
use spells instead
cast on the favor
fly, it’s Stamina for
customary the patience
for temples and
to prepare dedication
rituals of being a
ahead of cog in
time that massive
skilled rituals.
members
can finish
casting in
an
emergency.
Cult of
Mercury
characters
may learn 2
additional
free rituals
for every
dot in a
Path.
Herding a
large
congregatio
n isn’t an
easy feat
and
requires
leadership
with strong
social
Attributes.
Charisma is
typically
the favored
Attribute

Chapter Three: Practitioners 115

 T i
h a
e n

D O
o r
z d
e e
n r
Favore
d
P Attribu
tes:
r Charis
ma,
i Intellig
e ence
Favore
s d Paths:
Divination,
t Healing,
s Shapeshifti
ng, Weather
Control
o The
Pythian
f Order itself
once
crossed the
Hellenic
t and Greek
h world. Its
members
e were
experts of
divination
P who passed
on the
y words of
the gods
t and found
h their magic

116 Sorcerer
within the Order had
rhythm and already
rhyme of fallen from
poetry. Not grace. Their
merely a numbers
form of art, dwindled to
but an those few
expression who had
of extended
numerology their
, Pythian lifespan
practice beyond the
tied music, natural
astrology, limits of
and humanity.
mathematic By the
s together, time of the
resonating Renaissanc
with the e and
music of renewed
the spheres. interest in
They strove the classics,
to find just the Dozen
the right Priests of
poetic the Pythian
meter to Order that
encapsulate still lived
this magic, were sought
binding it to out. The
texts to few Pythian
store this texts that
power. A had found
delicate and their way to
fussy the scholars
magic, it of the age
was rare to were a
master. The marvel, and
number of the Pythian
priests of Order
the Pythian gained a
Order handful of
diminished new
over time. converts. In
When the
science and Romantic
learning period,
declined in further
Europe, the interest
Pythian swelled,

Chapter Three: Practitioners 117

 especially verses are
among the preserved,
poets of and the
that time. Priests have
These begun to
artists question
found the whether to
meaning in fight the
their poetry inevitable
grew to erosion of
new heights time and let
when the Pythian
inspired by Order
the esoteric finally fall
lore of the or to seek
Pythians. out new,
However, worthy, and
surges of dedicated
popularity students to
have never pass on
revitalized their
the Pythian knowledge.
Order It is not
beyond the merely a
few ancient question of
scholars their
that remain, knowledge
even as new being lost,
magicians for their
dedicate poetry is
themselves stored, and
to the craft. other
What Pythian
remains of works are
the Order in archives
— the and
Dozen museums.
Priests are There’s
now more to
reduced to consider,
four — for the
dwells in a remaining
temple on priests have
Milos, an amassed
island off immense
the coast of power
Greece. through
There, the centuries of
sacred study. To

118 Sorcerer
 let it die
with them
The
seems an Fenian
affront to Favore
the gods d
they once Attribu
spoke for. tes:
They work Manipu
now to that lation,
end, Appear
divining the ance
future and
Favore
their own
d Paths:
end of days,
Fascination,
to see if
Shapeshifti
students
ng, Weather
will arrive
Control
to learn
from them Many
or if they sorcerers
continue who share
clinging to ancestry
their with the
tradition Celts claim
out of futile to have fae
stubbornnes blood and
s. power in

Fenian Geasa
Fenian players must work with the Storyteller to determine their geasa and whether they can be
re-negotiated or forgiven if broken. Multiple geasa with the possibility to contradict each other is a
common subject of Celtic folklore, but the certain doom that typically entails may not be suitable
for a given table. Storytellers should also be sure that the opportunity to break a geasa will come
up in the course of the game. Unless the game includes travel, a prohibition on eating a certain
type of meat likely won’t come up if the animal is unavailable in the game’s location.
Players and Storytellers should be clear with each other what the geasa entail before starting the
game. Players may feel the Storyteller set them up for failure if expectations aren’t mutually
understood or if the Storyteller backs a Fenian into a corner with conflicting geasa (if this wasn’t
agreed to beforehand). A mythical redemption story or even an epic downfall can be loads of fun
for all involved, but only if everyone
feels the their
lineage.
character
Most of the
retains
time, it’s
agency in either
the matter. patently
false or too
far back to
matter. The

Chapter Three: Practitioners 119

 Fenian are lineage. On
different. learning
They’re an about their
unbroken connection
family of to the fae,
fae-blooded some left
shapeshifter their
s who can, humanity
if one behind
believes entirely to
them, trace join the
their Dreaming.
lineage all The others
the way made deals
back to the with the
Tuatha Dé Tuatha Dé
Danann. Danann to
Their learn how
mastery of to control
shifting to the magic
animal in their
forms is blood. They
further adopted
evidence of animal
this claim. forms
In the according
family’s to their
early days, personalitie
they were a s: The
group of warriors
half-fae commonly
adventurers shifted to
who found bears or
more large
adventure felines
than they while the
bargained free-spirited
for. The tricksters
spark of became
exploration foxes or
hit them, corvids. All
and they Fenian
left their learned to
human influence
connections mortal
behind to opinions,
find the and a few
truth of gained true
their mastery

120 Sorcerer
over the when
weather. learning a
The family new Path or
isn’t a ritual that
normal may also
family of apply to
sorcerers so their
much as a descendants
family of .
innately These
magical days, the
beings. The Fenian are
magical on the brink
contracts, of
or geasa, extinction.
were Some
tailored to speculate
each Fenian their fae
based on blood is
tradition growing too
and thin; others
personal suspect
tendencies. someone
One Fenian broke
who greatly geasa with
enjoys the the Tuatha
pleasures of Dé Danann.
life might There’s still
be hope; a
forbidden young child
from eating in the
certain family
types of named
food, while Niamh
a Fenian developed
who bucks the ability
authority to speak to
might be animals
obligated to after an
always entire
accept generation
guidance — lacked any
even if the magical
guidance is aptitude or
harmful. A predilection
Fenian can . There are
enter into a only several
geas for dozen
powers Fenian

Chapter Three: Practitioners 121

 sorcerers all hedge
alive and magic and
active psychic
currently. phenomena.
Given It’s
their therefore
magical more
heritage, difficult for
Fenian treat entire
all Fenian generations
favored to learn and
paths as use hedge
their magic than
Affinity the average
Paths but person if
learn all they break
other hedge geasa. This
magic at a is the only
higher cost. known
They pay extant
10 xp to sorcerer
learn a new bloodline
non-Fenian more likely
Path, new to go
rating x8 to through a
increase a Changeling
non-Fenian Chrysalis
Path, and than
rating x2 Awaken as
for non- a Mage.
Fenian
rituals. Any Forn
Fenian
under the Jafnaðr
effect of Favore
broken d
geasa Attribu
receives an tes:
additional Dexterit
experience y, Wits
penalty for
Favore
all hedge
d Paths:
magic,
Divination,
increasing
Enchantme
the rating
nt, Hellfire,
multiplier
and
by 1, and
Summoning
+1
, Binding
difficulty to

122 Sorcerer
and derived
Warding from forn
Since seiðr, or
ancient “ancient
times, customs” of
people in the Norse.
Scandinavia They
primarily, worship
but not deities from
always, either or
practiced both of the
feminine Æsir and
witchcraft Vanir
families.

Chapter Three: Practitioners 123

 Of note is Freyja, the Vanir goddess of fertility, love, of
war,
the Æsir and the name of the runic alphabet. Astatru
and magic who taught sorcery to the Æsir. Odin is alsoFuthark was a group of criminals who believed themselves
notable as the male head of the Æsir, associated with- sor
racially superior to others, and though they were a group
cery, war, wisdom, and the runic alphabet, among other of wannabe-sorcerers, completely failed to understand that
things. Historically, practitioners were highly valued for
the practice they stole from was historically primarily a
their powers but suffered under stigma and persecution women’s craft and would’ve had nothing to do with Asatru
after the region’s Christianization. Futhark’s patriarchal bullshit. The Asatru Futhark caused
destruction and death under the pretense of religious
Despite opposition, the practice never fully died out. - be
Many hid under the guise of the dominant religion to lief until a group of Aeon Order sorcerers put an end to
secretly maintain their faith. Nowadays, it’s more accept
- them. This prompted local
forn sorcerers to rise up in
able to openly practice heathen religions and magic, but direct opposition to thoseseiðr
who appropriate their beliefs to
promote
they still experience prejudicial backlash in some locales. inexcusable hate crimes and rhetoric.
Practitioners are nominally drawn to the Verbena when Remaining members of Asatru Futhark attempted
they involve themselves in Ascension War politics, thoughto resurrect the defunct faction several times, each time
many covens are content to keep to themselves and their definitively quashed by Forn Jafnaðr. Forn Jafnaðr has
communities. Forn Jafnaðr is a new and rapidly growing their hands full in their fight against Nordic-appropriating
Affiliation that chose neither of those options. neonazi groups, but thankfully they’re not without allies
In recent decades, neonazi groups (under whateverand those ready to join them. While they make it a personal
names lend them enough plausible deniability for theirmission to destroy Nordic-appropriating neonazi groups,
intentions) appropriated symbolism and other aspects they also don’t turn down aid offered, especially from other
fromforn to justify their bigotry. One of those groups, sorcerers. Forn Jafnaðr is now a decentralized Affiliation
Asatru Futhark, was a group of Nazi losers who couldn’t
seiðr consisting of multiple covens who all practice some- varia
tion of forn . They’re primarily based in Scandinavia,
bother to fact check, lazily naming themselves after followers
but they’re
seiðrspreading into other areas of Europe as the
124 Sorcerer
sentiment gains traction. In 2019, they founded the Tremere, by which time the Maison Liban had
first Forn Jafnaðr coven in the United States. become their own society.
More experienced sorcerers typically mentor After the formative years of living in secrecy, all
promising interested members of their faith one-on- students of the Maison Liban are directed to maintain
one to learn their magical practice. The apprentice a double life to separate their magical practice from
learns at their teacher’s side and aids their teacher and respectable normal lives. They are not to reveal their
coven’s ritual work, providing an extra set of hands. Art to anyone they know unless they deem the person
Aptitude for magic is secondary to passion and responsible enough to learn the ways of the Maison
devotion to the cause when choosing initiates. The Liban. This doesn’t prevent the Liban from using
philosophy is that magic can always be taught to those protective magics on loved ones and friends. There
who wish to learn, but passion for their ideals is are no great acts, no show of power for the Maison
imperative. Liban, as they continue their study beneath their
To the extent Forn Jafnaðr involve themselves in mundane masque. Students learn as initiates to a
Ascension War politics, they’re most likely to form master until they know enough to teach others, at
temporary working relationships with the Disparate which point they are also named a master, a pater or
Alliance or the Verbena. Normally, they’re too busy mater. The most venerated of Maison Liban, in
with their main goal to bother with combating the deference to their founding, use the honorific,
Technocracy, but being mystics, they sometimes get Pontifex.
dragged into the conflict anyway. Beyond directly and The Maison Liban originated as a Hermetic
indirectly combating fascism, individual covens are House. They maintain the use of seals, rings, and
free to act autonomously to best tailor responses to circles in their magic. While Latin is used
their local communities. Some covens strive to live predominantly, it is combined with the Gothic
off the grid as their ancestors did, but others welcome language from the society’s time in hiding. This
modern technology in their lives if not their magical blending of the Hermetic origins with the need to hide
practices. It’s far easier, after all, to organize with among the Visigoths during the Order of Hermes’
allies over the internet than with handwritten letters. purge has given the Maison Liban a unique style of
magic that is not readily copied by other Hermetic
Maison Liban societies.
Favored Attributes: Intelligence, Manipulation
Favored Paths: Fortune, Shadow, Summoning, Mogen HaLev
Binding, and Warding, Quintessence Manipulation Favored Attributes: Intelligence, Perception
During the 11th Century Hermetic Schism that Favored Paths: Divination, Ephemera (Ghosts),
resulted in the birth of the Tremere vampire Clan, and Summoning, Binding and Warding (Angels)
Mathieu de Calice focused his learning on protection Female Auxiliary Favored Paths: Fortune, Healing,
and counter-magic, intent on staying safe as the Order and Weather Control
began to tear itself apart. Fleeing to safer territory in In some forms of Jewish mysticism, there’s a
Northern France, de Calice and his apprentices laid belief that there exist 36 righteous people in each
low beneath their arcane obfuscation while the generation. These people are dispersed and could
Tremere were busy with local vampires. Separated come from any background, but without at least 36 of
from the Order of Hermes, fearing for his life from his them living at any given time, the world would end.
former mentor and the newly empowered vampire- It’s only through these 36’s essential goodness that the
mages, Magus de Calice worked to hide the Hermetic world is spared from certain doom. Complicating the
House. He renamed the group “Liban” in the Visigoth matter, the 36 are so humble that they wouldn’t know
tongue, meaning “live, leave, survive.” Starting with they were truly one of the 36 righteous, let alone tell
just de Calice’s apprentices, then French and Spanish anyone.
refugees, the group worked to maintain secrecy and an The Mogen HaLev, Hebrew for “Shield of the
appearance of normalcy. It would take 250 years for 36,” is a loose affiliation of Orthodox Jewish mystic
the end of the Order of Hermes’ purge of House

Chapter Three: Practitioners 125

covens with a singular purpose of finding and like Nebuu-Afef and other groups that explicitly
protecting these 36 righteous individuals. They’re a attempt genocide on Jewish populations. The Mogen
group of male scholars ranging in age from 45 to HaLev won’t hesitate to defend themselves and their
nearly 100, though they allow initiates to start study as communities if one of those groups comes to town.
young as age 40. They believe to study the required
magic before maturity invites disaster. Most members
are in their 60’s. The oldest of the Mogen HaLev,
Nebuu-Afef, The Order of The
called the Baal Shem Tov (“Master of the Good Golden Fly
Name”), is recognized as a sort of leader throughout Favored Attributes: Strength, Stamina
the Affiliation, though mostly in the sense of seeking
Favored Paths: Conjuration, Hellfire,
guidance and making tie-breaking decisions. Once an
Shadowcasting, Shapeshifting
initiate begins study, it’s an intensive process
involving not only magic itself, but also philosophy After the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt in
and mundane skills of networking with useful the days of Ramses the Great, the Nebuu-Afef was
individuals such as doctors and social workers. More forged in the fires of hate, rage, and sorrow. After the
frequently in recent years, Mogen HaLev work with loss of their firstborn children and suffering from
sister covens of female Jewish mystics who use plagues visited upon them for Egypt’s enslavement of
different skill sets and Paths to achieve their common the Hebrew people, a group of decorated Egyptian
goal. Though not official members of the faction, soldiers began their quest for revenge upon the fleeing
these sister covens focus on practical magics for refugees. Awarded a medal in the shape of a golden
protecting the 36, rather than the divination and spirit fly as a badge of honor, these warriors were already
matters the men of Mogen HaLev specialize in. skilled with magic, but they desired more to focus
their rage into destructive force. Naming themselves
The main coven (though they wouldn’t call
after this mark of distinction, the Order of the Golden
themselves this) of Mogen HaLev meets in a
Fly spent years in research and accumulation of
brownstone in Brooklyn, New York City alongside a
resources. Their devotion finally bore fruit with the
yeshiva. They maintain an occult and religious library
discovery of the secret names of the angel of death
large enough to loan texts to the Affiliation’s other
who had wrought the plagues upon Egypt — the very
covens as needed. They primarily focus on divination
angel who had taken their firstborn children from
and protection magic, though also learn to speak with
them — and the means to summon and control that
spirits for information gathering. All members strictly
angel. Through profane ritual, the mystics summoned
follow Orthodox Jewish traditions including dietary
forth this angel, Mastema, and bound it to their
restrictions, beard and hair grooming, wearing a
control, demanding further knowledge and charms to
kippah, as well as charitable work and donations in
bring plague or rain fire. The Order wanted these tools
addition to work within Mogen HaLev. Each coven
to punish the Israelites.
cultivates connections to aid identifying and
protecting the 36, ranging from homeless shelters to What the Order had not grasped in their hubris is
medical professionals. that Mastema was never bound to them; it was neither
contained, nor controlled. Mastema had fallen,
The Mogen HaLev’s group motives begin and end
corrupted by its destruction of Egypt, discovering a
at finding and protecting the 36. They have no time
lust for the death and fear it had wrought across the
for any of this Ascension War nonsense except when
country. As the Order demanded power from the
it threatens one of the 36. They aren’t known for
angel, Mastema fed them only the darkest and most
keeping lasting grudges and would prefer to keep to
destructive magics. For all the Order thought it was in
themselves and their purpose. They’re similarly
control, Mastema only gave them what it desired,
unlikely to form even temporary alliances with other
feeding their anger and hate into destructive purpose.
magical factions unless in an effort to protect the 36.
The original members of Nebuu-Afef never
If one of those they protect is in danger, they’ll go to
accomplished their designs against the Israelites, but
great lengths to resolve that threat. The notable
the Order was founded and continued to plague Egypt
exception to avoiding magical grudges is with groups
for centuries to come. In the Coptic period, Pharoah
Ikhnaton drove the small group from Egypt. The reveal that every member of the Order is a plaything
Order moved from region to region, kept small due to and tool for the angel.
sharing power of one ‘bound’ angel to serve them all.
It was in Austria in World War II that the Order The Nephite Priesthood
rose from obscurity to seek the carnage of their initial Favored Attributes: Stamina, Wits
purpose. They reached out to members of the Nazi
Favored Paths: Divination, Enchantment, Hellfire,
party, offering their assistance to the already occult-
minded Hitler. This turned out to be the Order’s Summoning, Binding, and Warding, and Weather
undoing, as shortly after this contact was made, the Control
Order’s meeting house exploded, destroying most of The Nephite Priesthood, also known as “The Dust
their records and killing the sect’s senior members. Prophets,” is an exclusive Affiliation of mystics in
The apprentice of the Order’s priest and a few initiates The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They
fled, escaping in the chaos. believe that Joseph Smith didn’t publicly reveal the
The remnants of the Order now exist spread secrets of a priest named Nephi, who God taught
across the globe in small cells, connected by internet through dreams how to perform miracles. Nephi kept
communications. Those who remain are utterly under a group of disciples to pass on the divine knowledge
Mastema’s control, though the captive creature still and serve his people. Nephi and his disciples were
masquerades as a subservient tutor. The angel deftly killed in the battle of Cumorah and the knowledge
guides the Order into recruiting those like the original destroyed for over a millennia. In 1849, Nephi
founders — strong, fast, and tactically gifted warriors. revealed himself as a celestial being to a pious desert
Soldiers, police, nightclub bouncers, and sufficiently settler named Uriah Spence, so Uriah could restore the
cautious serial killers are pursued and recruited to the Priesthood and protect the Church from an oppressive
Order’s ranks. Mastema teaches new students death, government and other hostile outsiders. They also
hate, and fear; the Order teaches their recruits that prepare for a coming final showdown when the
authority comes from power. A novice is tortured and apocalypse comes. All Dust Prophets swear oaths of
humiliated, broken down and built back up into a secrecy. They aren’t allowed to let members of the
killer. Church know of their miraculous abilities.

Playing the Nebuu-Afef

The Nebuu-Afef are an antagonist Order and aren’t intended to be player characters. They are
‘sorcerers’ in name only, duped into believing they control an angel. If players are interested in
playing villains such as these, have a discussion with the group as to the purpose of playing them. Is
this an attempt to depict reform, rehabilitation, and reparation of those lost to their hate and
anger, or just an attempt to be edgy? This should be a serious discussion for everyone at your table.
If everyone is onboard, consult Book of the Fallen for further guidance on tools and cautions for
incorporating pure evil into your game.
To mechanically depict the Nebuu-Afef’s reliance and the unreliable nature of Mastema’s help, the
Storyteller should roll all Summoning, Binding, and Warding Path rolls in secret, and even if the roll
is successful, Mastema has only been contacted but may not appear.
While the Order was founded by mystics who had To join the Priesthood, one must be a man in good
developed rituals and practices of their own before standing within the Church. Most Nephite Priests
summoning Mastema, the current Order’s magic relies were born into the Church, but converts aren’t
on the angel’s teachings. Every student is taught unheard of. If a man isn’t a Latter-Day Saint, he must
binding spells intended to call and control Mastema, first convert to the Church and study for at least
but these spells are useless against the angel. If the several years before a Nephite priest will approach
angel deigns to teach a Path to a student, it will be one him. They believe that any that strayed from a strict
focused on destruction and suffering. It teaches code of conduct would quickly be corrupted by the
nothing of Binding or Command, for it will never power and risk damnation. The initiation rites are

Chapter Three: Practitioners 127

performed in secret temples. The initiate, known as a (deserved and undeserved) to them; accordingly,
Deacon, first fasts for three days. At sunrise on the Project Twilight kept tabs on the Priesthood. The
fourth day, he enters the temple, undresses, and is Nephite Priesthood believes their powers are divine
anointed by oil. He spends the morning in prayer. At gifts and considered all other mystical sorcerers devil-
noon, the Deacon clothes himself in a pure white robe. worshipers. At best, the Dust Prophets shunned them,
A Priest attends at the altar, separated from the even when trespassing on others’ land during the
Deacon by a veil, and prays with the initiate. As the priests’ journeys. They considered friendly
ceremony concludes, the Deacon is “reborn” into the interactions with other mystical societies potentially
celestial kingdom, parting the veil and approaching treasonous. Some remain hopeful that the Affiliation,
the altar for a final prayer. if and when they reemerge, won’t be as contentious as
After the ritual, the Deacon spends two years it was under previous leadership.
studying Nephite miracles and history, including the
sacred names of the original Nephite Priests to call on The Seven Thunders
to invoke the miracles. To progress to priesthood and Favored Attributes: Charisma, Manipulation
beyond, the Dust Prophet undergoes increasingly
Favored Paths: Divination, Fortune, Healing,
longer and more solemn rituals. Priests may operate
under their own discretion in the absence of Elders, Hellfire
and after ordination must spend at least two years Armageddon was due at the turn of the
wandering outside the desert, typically to Central and millennium, but the years have continued to
South America, to spread the faith and learn of the accumulate, and the Seven Thunders, the prophets of
outside world. Elders are older and more experienced this apocalypse, have found that their army of
priests, typically spending at least a decade wandering believers have fallen out of faith. The True Faith of
and learning after ordination. The High Priest-Prophet the seven prophets has not wavered in the decades that
is the highest ranking elder, selected by popular vote have passed. They continue their mission, albeit
from the Elders. Most Nephite Priests make an annual changed and adjusted as they realize that their mortal
journey, wandering for 40 days and 40 nights in the understanding of divine visions was flawed. The
wilderness stretching from Utah to South America, Seven Thunders have spread across the globe,
traveling as far away from civilization as possible. supported by their few remaining faithful followers, as
On January 4, 2000, the 104th anniversary of they work to bring judgement upon the wicked. The
Utah’s statehood, the entire Nephite Priesthood Seven Thunders no longer watch the clock, waiting
gathered in Salt Lake City for an unknown purpose. for a specific date for Armageddon to arrive. They
What remains of the reports conflict wildly, but one believe that it will come at the appointed time and not
thing is certain — an event of apocalyptic proportions before. It may be that Armageddon will not arrive
occurred. Only one Nephite Elder, Porter Larsen, until they have fully prepared the earth for it.
remained to pass on the knowledge and rebuild the With this new outlook on their mission, the Seven
faction. Some whisper that a mass ritual went Thunders seek out the unholy, the false gods, and the
horrifically wrong, others speculate the rapture misled. They’ll bring low the high and mighty; bring
occurred, taking all but one Elder and leaving the rest them into the light of their faith. If necessary, they
of the world to its doom. No one openly takes credit will destroy them. They are Judgement on Earth, and
for whatever happened, and Elder Larsen hasn’t added while the prophets bring the sword of faith against the
to the discussion. His mission is to rebuild the greatest of threats, their followers seek whatever foes
Priesthood, he says, not to waste time concerning they can find. The Thunders preach the end of the
himself with what he can’t change. He’s not been seen world, showing signs of their faith, healing the sick,
publicly much since then, and the new Nephite and casting out foul spirits. Meanwhile, they
Priesthood hasn’t brought attention to themselves. command ordinary people armed with rosaries and
The possibility of an outside attack isn’t far- rifles to combat vampires, werewolves, and mystics.
fetched. The Nephite Priesthood had many enemies. As time has passed, the Seven Thunders find that
US intelligence agencies accrued massive files on the they are not in complete accord. While they believe
organization, attributing anti-government actions
they have the same mission, the path they walk has Awakened scholars have likened the Silver
changed. Now physically separated to cover more Portal’s practices to the chaotic nature of the
territory and hasten the coming of Armageddon, the Marauders, which is a rather horrifying thought to
Seven Thunders’ methods and focuses have most. The sorcerers allow the dream realms to bestow
diversified based on what each prophet finds most magic upon them that bleeds into the waking world.
important. The prophets are not dedicated to specific For a Silver Portal sorcerer, dream and reality aren’t
territories but travel across the continents as their two distinct concepts and have a lot of overlap.
visions lead them , reaching out to local support They’re the most flexible of all sorcerers, able to bend
networks for their missions. This means that some the rules of linear magic with their practices without
supporters find themselves going from shepherd of getting slapped by Reality for it.
their local community to suddenly hunting The Silver Portal sorcerer keeps track of the total
lycanthropes in the woods within the space of a week. number of dots spent in Paths and rituals at all times.
This continual shift of priorities and leadership has Whenever the sorcerer enters the Dream Realm on
driven some followers away, but those who remain purpose though a trance, the sorcerer’s player may
are dedicated to the cause, at the risk of their redistribute these dots among Paths and rituals as they
relationships and lives. wish, even to Paths the sorcerer doesn’t yet know. For
each intended Path, the sorcerer rolls their Favored
The Silver Portal Attribute plus either Meditation at difficulty 6 or
Favored Attributes: Charisma, Perception Lucid Dreaming at difficulty 5. The number of
successes is the number of dots the sorcerer may
Favored Paths: Ephemera (Umbrood),
possess in that Path, up to the number of dots allotted.
Fascination, Oneiromancy, Shadows
All allocated points not gained with successes are
The mind is a powerful thing. When we sleep, inaccessible until the effect ends. The sorcerer travels
even the uninitiated can taste potential in the untamed through the Dream Realm to find these powers and
dream worlds. Chaos is only potential waiting to be rituals, and the storyteller is encouraged to make use
tapped. The Silver Portal is unique in this of surreal dream imagery for the journey. They may
understanding of magical ability among sorcerer use these temporary powers in the Dream Realm and
Affiliations. Their sacred text is an eldritch work waking reality until they have restful sleep. The
that’s been telephoned across centuries, languages, sorcerer must have restful sleep before they may enter
multiple massive revisions, and cultures into a trance to redistribute Path points again. As the
something wholly alien from the 5th century (or even sorcerer doesn’t learn paths directly through normal
older, as it claims) Persian scroll called Zolondrodere means, they must redistribute dots into a Path or ritual
it derives from. It teaches that every possible thought first and spend the Experience to make it one of their
and idea exists drifting in Maya, the Dream Realms, baseline powers.
waiting for someone with the power to pluck it from
There is no formal hierarchy in the Silver Portal,
this subliminal realm and bring it into reality.
given the nature of the sorcerers themselves. New
The secrets of the Zolondrodere defy rational members earn initiation by fascinating a Silver Portal
thought, even by mystic standards. The sound mind sorcerer as much in the dull waking world as by their
often rejects the tome’s teachings, so Silver Portal dreams.
initiates must often begin their study through
hypnosis, indulging in mind-altering substances, and
ritual sensory and sleep-deprivation. Once the sorcerer The Society of Enlightened
begins to feel they understand, they enter a dream-like Altruistic Ideologies (SEAI)
trance, often in front of a mirror inscribed with
Favored Attributes: Intelligence, Manipulation
mystical symbols thought to promote openness. Once
they cross the silver portal into Maya, they encounter Favored Paths: Alchemy, Conjuration,
strange Umbrood and disorienting, potent imagery — Conveyance, Enchantment
fantastical and horrifying in equal measure. There, The Enlightened members of the Technocratic
they find power to bring into the waking world. Union are some of the greatest opponents of sorcerers

Chapter Three: Practitioners 129

around the world, whether they acknowledge the fact Sorcerers of all stripes might encounter the
that their inner Genius is an Awakened Avatar or not. Society as the SEAI uses spells to guard their work
However, not all members of the Technocracy are and experiment with other uses in pursuit of the taking
Enlightened, and the Society of Enlightened Altruistic a Tradition mage captive. Some of the SEAI toe the
Ideologies (SEAI, pronounced sea-ah, for short) work line of information gathering and go ‘undercover’
to address the concerns of un-Enlightened associates, within sorcerous groups to glean knowledge or
ensuring that their needs are met. The SEAI has a bit discover when a mage might be vulnerable. These
of a social club feel, with gossip-filled gatherings over citizens risk being caught by the Technocratic Union
coffee and cake, but the topics of discussion are more or the societies they infiltrate, walking a knife’s edge
esoteric and profound compared to the average coffee to take power from the undeserving. Other SEAI lose
klatch. Because the SEAI straddles the worlds of ‘perspective’ and slip from the Technocracy when
Enlightened Science and mundane society, they they get a taste of magic through ritual and study,
acquire knowledge of so much beyond their reach. often when they begin to recognize that the
They see the power of sorcerers and mages but are hyperscience they’ve studied seems so similar to
forced to live dull and drab lives. They feel increasing Hermetic formulae.
resentment for the Reality Deviants who have tapped
into the cosmic energies of the universe, only to
squander them; after all, the extraordinary citizens of
The Star Council
Favored Attributes: Perception, Intelligence
the SEAI are far more deserving of these powers.
Favored Paths: Most modern Star Council are
Between pushing papers, fetching coffee, and
psychics, but some know Enchantment, Healing,
reporting statistics, the SEAI have overheard things,
Shadow, and Quintessence Manipulation
tracked events, calculated expenditures, and taken
careful notes, with a single idea in mind: capture a In July, 1947, news of a possible extraterrestrial
Tradition mage, mindwipe them, and take their Avatar crash in Roswell, New Mexico swept the nation.
for themselves. The Progenitors of the Technocracy People from all walks of life were enamored with and
are already working on the mindwipe technology, so inspired by the possibility of life beyond Earth. The
by combining this tech with some spells of the SEAI’s Star Council originally formed as a handful of like-
own devising, they have begun to make strides toward minded UFO enthusiasts and paranormal researchers.
their goal. The idea of Nephandic Avatars is ignored Though they came from different backgrounds,
as merely propaganda or a fairy tale and has not been ranging from eccentric professors to delinquent teens,
truly considered by SEAI. Enlightened operatives who they found community and readily shared their
scoff or mock the SEAI may find that they join the theories and findings about space, extraterrestrials,
Reality Deviants on the list of those that should have and related conspiracies among the group.
their Avatar removed and given to the more worthy, The Star Council welcomed another smaller
hard-working members of the SEAI. While they have group, the Thal’hun, to their ranks in the late 1960s.
yet to capture a mage alive, the discussions of how to The Thal’hun were more insular than the rest of the
proceed have been made in earnest, and they are ready Star Council and largely remained a faction of their
to strike as soon as the opportunity arises. own, though they participated in sharing their beliefs
Occasionally, word of these plans and developments and findings. They were the first to introduce the Star
reach the Enlightened members of the Technocratic Council to proof of the supernatural and gained
Union, causing a bit of a concern as members of the credibility when supposed extraterrestrial technology
SEAI group themselves in accordance with which they stole from the US Government worked just as
Tradition they would join, were they Awakened. they predicted.
When these rumors are reported to upper As decades passed, the Star Council did their best
management, SEAI members who have been loose- to remain a low priority to the government. Their
lipped or been witnessed deviating from protocol are efforts were often complicated by actions of the
usually taken in for reconditioning. Thal’hun faction, and the Star Council had to rely on
younger tech-savvy members and discredited lawyers
in their ranks to stay under the radar. The Thal’hun’s
diverging goals and rigorous study practices became The Star Council of today is a generation-
festering points of contention. spanning band of oft written-off weirdos. Many of
Unbeknownst to the group, the non-Thal’hun Star them face or have faced difficulties with exclusion
Council was mostly comprised of psychics by the late from society, so they built their own. They’re quick to
1990s. These members typically believe that they’re help each other when needed, and members who fall
either victims of extraterrestrial experimentation or on hard times are typically welcome to stay at the
they’re actual descendants of extraterrestrials. They small house the Star council owns for group social
believe genetic differences, natural or otherwise, events.
caused their supernatural powers, while the Thal’hun Not all of them started off as UFO-enthusiasts.
insisted they could never reach their full potential Some only got interested in the phenomenon after
without Thal’hun education. they found community that accepted them in the Star
When the Thal’hun left law enforcement Council. One of the side effects of the Star Council’s
breathing down the group’s necks after an experiment philosophy on extraterrestrials is that no matter how
gone terribly wrong in 2002, the Star Council finally bad the world around them gets, they firmly believe
ejected them. The associated explosive argument left that humanity as a whole can get better. They believe
soured feelings on both sides, and it took the entire there’s something about the little blue dot of a planet
Star Council’s efforts to clean up the mess of both the called Earth that’s worth crossing galaxies to find.
botched experiment and the resulting conflict. Since Their prevailing hope, though devastatingly naive at
then, the Star Council went back to their roots as times, is often their greatest strength.
wide-eyed explorers with the entire universe to
discover. The Star Council maintains their practices of Thal’hun
individualized study and group presentation and Favored Attributes: Intelligence, Wits
discussion. Some use “alien science” derived from
Favored Paths: Conjuration, Fortune, Hellfire,
Thal’hun practices, but they also accept other adjacent
Quintessence Manipulation
paradigms of hyperscience and technomagic. The Star
Council won’t officially support actions to expose The Thal’hun profess that the idea of magic as put
government secrets on extraterrestrials, but they often forth by sorcerers is ridiculous, but a grain of truth
search where they aren’t supposed to. They usually try hides amidst all the bluster and superstition. The
to be subtle, but if something goes wrong, a fellow Thal’hun are an order of scientists, engineers, and
member is always quick to help provide cover. metaphysicians who have found the truth: All “magic”
Recently, a couple daring young members inspired a merely consists of tapping into the greatest power of
swarm of people to storm Area 51 via a viral meme. It the cosmos, called thal. Thal is the science of
didn’t turn out as useful for gathering secret harmonics, and a Thal’hun is an engineer of these
information as they hoped, but the Star Council harmonics. The order claims that they were taught by
initiated several new members following the event. an ancient race of aliens from the stars, the Hui:xa.
Initiation is an important social convention in the As the Thal’hun explain it, the Hui:xa had
Star Council. The initiate must meet with the thousands of years of culture to develop sciences
members to establish social chemistry and present an beyond human understanding, but thal is the crown
informal thesis of their beliefs on the extraterrestrial jewel of their discoveries. It requires supreme intellect
and the future of the universe to the rest of the Star and will to harness this power and not harm those
Council. If the Star Council feels the initiate is ready around the Thal’hun. While some of the Hui:xa had
and a good fit, they throw a party celebrating the new mastered the thal, there were other sciences they had
addition to collective knowledge and creativity. The yet to fully grasp, and a biological disaster led to the
modern Star Council learned from their mistakes with destruction of their homeworld, threatening to bring
the Thal’hun and want to be sure new initiates about their extinction. To prevent the total loss of their
contribute without veering the Affiliation’s mission people, their most learned priest-scientists phased a
off on a wildly different path. portion of their great city, Zoraster, into another plane
beyond time and space. 300 of the Hui:xa were
selected to be Jeva, or Lightbearers, transformed into

Chapter Three: Practitioners 131

creatures of pure energy and sent to find a new home the poems and histories left behind by Khuvon for his
for what remains of their people. human “children.”
A Jeva named Khuvon came to our world when Finally, the recruit rests in a sensory deprivation
Mesopotamia was on the rise. Intrigued by humanity, tank for up to a week, starting with silence and then
he assumed a mortal form and lived among the people graduating to a series of frequencies generated by
for a time, but there was a limit to what he could do. elder scientists to open the initiate’s mind. Within a
Occasionally, he would rise and teach the arts of thal, trance state, the initiate meets Khuvon in his spirit
creating a new generation of Thal’hun. These early form, who initiates and accepts the new disciple. After
lessons were not of science for that idea was beyond another hour of silence to come to grips with their
human understanding in those days, so thal was taught experience, the initiate emerges as a new Thal’hun.
couched in the stories and myths of the time. Finally
in 1961, as humanity first reached beyond the Earth,
Khuvon began to teach again. This time to scientists,
U.S. Government (Project
not mystics and philosophers. No myths and legends, Twilight)
but pure science of Thal. He spent 5 years with his 7 Favored Attributes: Dexterity, Wits
students, teaching them all he could, and then sent
Favored Paths: Most are psychics, but hedge
them among humanity to teach in his stead. Satisfied
magicians commonly learn Divination, Fortune, and
that Earth would be a new home to the Hui:xa, he sent
Hellfire
the call out into space, calling to the other Jeva,
calling them to him to return Zoraster to this plane. There aren’t any U.S. intelligence subdivisions,
Now Khuvon rests in the core of the Earth, the even classified ones, officially known as “Project
Thal’hun instruct the next generation, and they wait Twilight” — that’s just the nickname that stuck.
for the arrival of the Jeva who have been spread “Project Twilight” includes paraintelligence
across the stars for thousands of years. departments from multiple agencies, such as the
Department of Defense, the National Security Agency
New initiates of the Thal’hun come from across
(NSA), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the
several fringe societies, scientifically minded
FBI Special Affairs Department, and even secret
questioners of the status quo, those who delve into
projects within the Center for Disease Control and
pseudoscience, New Age crystal healers, UFO
Department of the Interior. The nickname comes from
watchers, or ‘genius inventor’ types. The more
agents darkly joking that going on a mission was like
mystically inclined, occultists, and philosophers are
living in the “Twilight Zone,” though the nickname
simply too ingrained into their beliefs to consider the
brings different connotations to younger agents.
truth of thal. These new initiates spend years learning
to write and pronounce Luz’at characters, proper All projects that fall under the moniker of Project
mediation, and the history of Khuvon’s activity on Twilight are funded through a lump sum called “black
Earth before their mind is ready to properly book” expenses that Congress authorizes for classified
understand the language itself. After this, the new intelligence operations. As such, most individuals,
initiate begins to use diadems, metal and crystal even in some of the highest levels of government,
devices like rods, staves, tripods, and other antennae remain unaware of the project’s existence. The
to amplify their harmonics and mental attunement to agencies would rather things stay that way, since
manipulate thal itself by ‘setting a resonance’ with rooting out meddlesome supernatural interference in
those specific sounds. They assist others in the government and keeping it secret from the public
constructing diadems and in their experiments with are the agents’ jobs. All agents have appalling levels
Thal and study Hui:xa culture, lore, astronomy, and of discretion for their duties. Not one would ever
be brought up on charges for what would normally bewon’t let them. Though many agents can be exactingly
considered gross abuses of power, if it’s justified by- stop
effective in the field, the inherent conflicts of interest at
ping vampires and werewolves from running rampant,play or in the upper levels work to keep agents focused on
preserving “national security” as any official documents matters outside their agency, not their superiors.
code it. Even if an agent’s superior felt the agent crossed Psychics are of particular interest to the government for
a line, or several, the agent would simply be terminated,several reasons. They tend to have much higher-than-average
never to be heard from again. This is doubly true for theWillpower, and their abilities tend to function without
hedge magicians and psychics working for the government. the need for lengthy rituals or specialized equipment.
Not all agents in Project Twilight are sorcerers, but
Additionally,
many they tend to be easier for the non-sorcerers
field agents are. It’s much easier to fight rowdy supernaturals
to accept as legitimate because of the massive amounts of
with a wider variety of tools at the government’s disposal.
media that portray psychics working in the three letter- agen
And that’s how many Project Twilight sorcerers are viewed:
cies. Because of Technocratic influence in US government
disposable. Agents are sent to deal with everything from andSabbat
culture, the hedge magicians in the paraintelligence
strikes to egotistical mages on a power trip (which is toprojects
say, are overwhelmingly technosorcerers.
most of them). At the very least, the pay is better than most Sorcerers who aren’t affiliated with the Technocracy aren’t
other ways a sorcerer can make a legal, if not honest, living.
likely to trust sorcerers involved in Project Twilight, if their
Many of the higher ups answer to different masters employer (even just the mundane one) is known. Even other
entirely. The Camarilla, Technocracy, Pentex, and others Project Twilight sorcerers don’t tend to trust each other, given
all have their fingers in the paraintelligence divisions the
to suit
sheer frequency with which they end up spying on one
their own goals, which often align with keeping the public
another. The government has a long and bloody history - op
unaware of the supernatural. Conversely, agents can neverpressing groups from minority ethnicities, religions, and other
get to good at rooting out the supernatural in their ownidentities — which make up most sorcerer covens. Historically,
organizations;
o the supernaturals involved in the agencies
magic’s been an outlet for oppressed groups to right wrongs

Chapter Three: Practitioners 133

and protect themselves when systems failed them or specific to them; knowing these characteristics is
were never designed to protect them in the first place. necessary for properly communicating with them and
winning them over. Each individual has a guiding
Uzoma orisha who influences their personality and behavior,
villages take on a patron orisha, and Uzoma select
Favored Attributes: Charisma, Wits
specific orisha they serve.
Favored Paths: Alchemy, Healing, Summoning,
The magic that the Uzoma perform takes place
Binding, and Warding, Quintessence Manipulation
through religious ritual, beginning with praising and
Originating in the Yoruba regions of Africa, the thanking Olorun, the Owner of Heaven. The priests
Uzoma are the gatekeepers of the spiritual world, then appeal to specific orishas, asking for their
interceding between the orisha, the gods of all magical assistance in return for the Uzoma’s past
creation, and humanity. For years they served as service and to empower them for further service in the
priests and sorcerers, called babalawos, within the future. The rituals revolve around dancing, drumming,
holy city-state of Ife, but as other civilizations and singing as ways to reach out to the orisha.
oppressed and enslaved their people, the Uzoma Different forms of drumming and dance are tied to
began to lose influence. The Uzoma gain power from certain rituals, and they are never performed outside
the Orisha, the Orisha gain power from believers, and of these rituals. The performance is given to call to the
as their people were taken into slavery their belief orisha and invite them to join with the Uzoma’s
faltered. Wherever their people were taken, the community; the whole ritual is magical rite, religious
Uzoma were taken with them. In the New World, this service, and celebration all together. As the rite ends,
faith merged with other beliefs, creating new the priest is “mounted” by the orisha, who speaks
religions: Candomblé, Vodoun, Macumba, and others. through the priest as a type of possession, though
The Uzoma faith continued though, hidden alongside sometimes the orisha chooses not to speak and merely
these new faiths, both in their homeland and in Africa. joins with the babalawo for a time.
As time has passed, the burden of colonization has
The start of an Uzoma’s initiation begins with a
lessened somewhat, and the old ways have resurfaced
reading of the Ifa, a collection of patakis (sayings,
among the African diasporas.
myths and stories) that are consulted with a shell
The Uzoma organize in “family” groups called divination. The elders discern the initiate’s personal
ile, taking a hands-off approach as they watch over guiding orisha, which helps determine which ile they
their people and territory. After hundreds of years of belong with. The initiate is gifted their elekes,
outside influence, the Uzoma allow for no interference necklaces blessed by the ile babalawo and which
with their people. When the Uzoma step in, there is no signify their house. This begins a year of service as a
holding back, and they strike with no reservations. So ‘child.’ They dress in white, follow a strict diet, and
long as their world remains at peace, the Uzoma are cannot be touched during their time of service. Days
content to watch and remain in the background. They are spent learning the patakis from the priests of the
see their task as being gateways for the spirits, not as house and learning to cast the Ifa. After their year of
magicians. The true sorcerers are the Nhanga, who service to the ile, the ‘child’ becomes a babalawo and
serve other orisha of darker origins. Uzoma dedicate begins their service to their people and the orisha.
themselves to others and their people while the While all initiates go to the Yoruban homelands of
Nigeria,
Other Magical Societies Benin,
Togo,
and
to
Nhanga put themselves above others. Often foreign
sorcerers and magicians are labelled as Nhanga as begin their apprenticeship, many have returned home
well, due to the Uzoma’s past experiences with them. to the Americas and Europe, continuing the return of
the old ways in new places.
Each orisha is unique, and there are over 400 of
them, though the Uzoma do not necessarily always Affiliations are not the only magical societies that
agree on the names and roles of each of them. Each welcome hedge wizards and psychics. Each faction in
orisha has a number, color, food, and dance that is
the Ascension War actively recruits both to further While many consors employ hedge magic or
their own goals. psychic phenomena, such abilities are far from
universal. There are just as many — if not more —
The Council of Nine consors who earned their title through advanced,
albeit mundane, knowledge and skill. A gifted
Mystick Traditions computer programmer, remarkably accurate sniper, or
The Traditions that make up the exceptionally skilled librarian are as worthy of the
Council of Nine have recruited hedge title of consor as an accomplished hedge wizard or
wizards and psychics since their inception. Though powerful psychic.
each Tradition handles the distribution of power and
Recruitment
responsibility to these allies differently, there are a
Many mages of the Traditions move in similar
few common terms and roles seen throughout the
social and academic circles to hedge wizards. The
Traditions.
common pursuits of enlightenment and arcane
Acolyte knowledge bring many hedge wizards into the fold of
Mages usually refer to mortals who lack magical the Traditions. Many Tradition mages connect with
training but accept the paradigm of a Tradition as hedge wizards while seeking Sleepers who are either
acolytes. Also called allies, these folks are usually on the cusp of Awakening or who might serve as
employed in a mundane capacity by the mages they acolytes or cultists.
serve. Some act as literal servants, addressing the Some Traditions, such as the Order of Hermes,
household chores of a Chantry, serving as seneschals Society of Ether, and Virtual Adepts maintain
and personal assistants to mages, or even taking the academic fronts that seek out potential mages and
role of personal security or trained muscle. Others acolytes. The Order of Hermes cultivates secret
might act as assistants during large rituals. This can societies whose doctrines and practices serve as
include collecting a list of components for the ritual, testing grounds for Hermetic thought. Members of
securing a location while the mages work their effects, these societies who accept the Hermetic paradigm
or even acting as assistants in the ritual itself. receive initiation into deeper mysteries. Some of them
Acolytes are typically mundane beyond their Awaken, while others develop the mystical acumen to
acceptance of a mystic paradigm, but there are some master hedge magic. Though the Order’s rigid
who command modest knowledge of hedge magic or structure all but ensures that hedge wizards rarely rise
rudimentary psychic abilities. above the status of consor within the Tradition, House
Ex Miscellanea has admitted several talented
Consor practitioners over the centuries. The Society of Ether
The Awakened usually refer to hedge wizards and keeps a close eye on fringe sciences and
psychics in their sphere of influence as consors. pseudoscience communities for signs of
Consor is an honorific that originated with the Order Enlightenment from emerging researchers. This
of Hermes but moved into popular lexicon among the occasionally leads to the discovery of hedge wizards
Traditions during the Grand Convocation. The title is whose practice complements Etherite theories. Virtual
meant to signify exceptional skill and usefulness. As Adepts constantly monitor online communities for
such, those hedge wizards and psychics who become communication, code, programs, or technical
consors of a Tradition mage typically enjoy greater schematics that reveal a deeper understanding of
privileges than an acolyte. This includes anything reality, or at least the acumen to grasp the basics of
from access to a Chantry’s resources to the ability to Adept magick. Hedge wizards who work their crafts
petition the Traditions for a redress of grievances through computing often operate in similar fashion,
under Council Law. This can even extend to seeking the latest tech to upgrade their own workings.
requesting Tribunals and challenging offending mages Aside from academia, many Traditions draw
to Certámen, though in the latter case the consor must support from within their communities, finding
be able to appoint a willing proxy to act on their acolytes and consors through the common ground of
behalf.

Chapter Three: Practitioners 135

culture. Akashayana and Euthanatoi acolytes are often Psychics and the Council of Nine
fellow travelers on the path to enlightenment, who Though the Traditions do value the power of
share beliefs and mores with the mages in their midst, psychics, and some mages work psychic techniques
even if they lack the spark of Awakening. It is only into their own paradigms, actual psychics are
natural then that some unearth the secrets of hedge comparatively rare within the Traditions. This may be
magic during their pursuits. The Celestial Chorus because so few psychics embrace their own power.
draws recruits from religious study groups, prayer While some psychics do seek out a place in various
meetings focused on esoteric topics, interfaith occult communities, embracing common folk beliefs
initiatives, or even charitable functions such as soup about their otherworldly gifts, many psychics are
kitchens, clothing drives, or relief missions. The Cult more concerned with stopping the voices in their
of Ecstasy enjoys overlap with several subcultures and heads or finding ways to avoid accidentally lighting
social settings frequented by hedge wizards who seek the neighbor’s car on fire with their brain when its
to blow open the doors of perception through ecstatic alarm goes off. This leads many psychics away from
practice. Mages of the Dreamspeakers and Verbena the circles the Traditions travel in. Those few who do
maintain some of the tightest relations to their make their way to the Traditions are prized as consors.
communities of origin among all the Traditions. Their
practices are frequently reflected in the daily life of The Disparate Alliance
even the Sleepers in the communities from which they According to propaganda by the Traditions, any
recruit. As such, it is no surprise that hedge wizards mystic not protected under their umbrella is doomed,
who fall in with these primal Traditions are as likely and this includes sorcerers. In many Crafts, after all,
to receive treatment as equals as they are to be there’s not always a clear distinction between the
relegated to the role of an acolyte or custos. Awakened and their sorcerer counterparts.
The Tradition propaganda, like propaganda in
Rejection and Rivalry general, isn’t strictly true, and the Disparate Alliance
Not all hedge wizards who encounter the is proof positive of that. The Disparate Alliance, by all
Traditions are eager to join. From the perspective of a official accounts, doesn’t exist. And yet, it does.
hedge wizard, the philosophies of the Traditions are Behind the scenes and with the freedom of electronic
no more or less attractive than those of the various communication, independent Crafts from around the
Affiliations. In fact, the world-spanning goals and world joined forces for protection from the
lofty ideals of the Traditions can be an intense Technocracy with representation they couldn’t get
repellant to hedge wizards who are more interested in from the Traditions. In addition to the more well-
private agendas and personal gain. This is not to say known threat the Technocracy poses to all mystics,
that hedge wizards are averse to thinking big — some some groups in the Disparate Alliance claim they
have goals befitting the most hubris-ridden Hermetic found proof the Technocracy is being puppeted by the
Master. Just that hedge wizards with such lofty goals Nephandi. Most sorcerers that know of the existence
are more likely to shun Traditions and Affiliations of Nephandi hate them either for the malevolent chaos
altogether, or merely use them for access to these Fallen stand for or because of direct attacks on
information and magical secrets, only to break ties their people.
once they feel that the well of utility has dried up.
The Disparate Alliance is a loose confederation of
Furthermore, no one likes to be treated as someone’s
vastly different cultures and ideals. They are largely
lesser, and it is all too common for Tradition mages,
informal and currently keep their cooperation a secret
especially those wrapped up in their own hubris, to
to avoid getting dragged into a battle they aren’t yet
dismiss hedge wizards among their acolytes and
ready to fight. They primarily work on weakening the
consors as performing “lesser” arts. This alone drives
Technocracy (and to a lesser extent, the Traditions)
off a significant selection of hedge wizards who might
through extended campaigns of sabotage and
otherwise prove valuable allies to the Traditions.
subterfuge, chipping away methodically. Given the
make-up and goals of the Disparate Alliance, they’re a
primary source of aid for many sorcerer covens and through faiths that worship the Lwa. Devotion and
individuals, especially mystics. respect to the Lwa are the keys to success rather than
While it’s difficult to generalize anything about whether one Awakens or not. A hedge magician may
the Disparate Alliance, they always have a use for hold any of the few and largely informal titles the
more allies against common threats and foes. Bata’a have.
Channeling, Divination, and Psychic Healing are
Core Members favored psychic phenomena in the sect. Enchantment,
The Batini Herbalism, Healing, and Summoning, Binding and
With great emphasis on subtlety and unity, the Warding are favored hedge magic Paths.
Ahl-iBatin have approached more than a handful of The Ngoma
disciplined psychics and hedge magicians for The Ngoma are a sect of urbane scholars secretly
admittance, though the sorcerers rarely know the sect restructuring and regaining their lost influence and
at all before initiation. The Ahl-i-Batin appreciate the power. Their practices derive from traditional Central-
lack of Paradox generated by the sorcerers, though African practices, though modern Ngoma seamlessly
many assume the sorcerers are just particularity integrate technomagic into their works to keep up with
careful — a valued trait. Although no sorcerer has the times.
high status in Ahl-i-Batin, skilled sorcerers who
The Ngoma want as many promising scholars as
respect hierarchy and dutifully fight against the Fallen
possible in their hidden schools and tutoring
are valued.
arrangements. They have a clear preference for
Batini hedge magicians tend to learn Conjuration, Awakened mages but will allow a sufficiently talented
Conveyance, Divination, and Fascination. Many and ambitious sorcerer to learn in their schools, later
psychic phenomena fit particularly well among the to act as support for the sect’s network of power.
Subtle Ones,

Future Fate: Hollow Ones

One of the critically important meta-plot decisions to make is whether the Hollow Ones betrayed
the Traditions by leading the Technocracy into Horizon. The other is: If the Hollow Ones did betray
the Traditions, were they ever found out?
If the Hollow Ones betrayed the Traditions and it’s known, the Darklings aren’t likely to openly
admit membership in their sect, and any sorcerer Darklings could have a rude surprise waiting with
vengeful Tradition mages after them, too. The sorcerers may or may not know what the grudge is
about.
If rumors exist but haven’t taken hold, most Tradition mages won’t believe them, but it’s always
possible the sorcerer could run into someone who does and is pissed about it. If it’s true, the
Darklings will be using the Disparate Alliance to prepare for a possible war on two fronts.
If the betrayal isn’t true and isn’t rumored, business as usual. There’s still the Technocracy purging
and inter-
Disparate politicking to worry about. Hedge wizards and psychics don’t hold positions of
influence within the sect itself, but rather add to the
sect’s overall power.
Both mystical and technomagical sorcerers can
with Synergy and Astral Travel considered the most find a place in the Ngoma; their collective paradigms
direct manifestations of the sect’s philosophy. accommodate either approach. Favored paths include
The Bata’a Alchemy, Ephemera, Herbalism, Healing, and
The Bata’a explicitly don’t discriminate between Quintessence Manipulation. Favored Psychic
hedge wizards and Awakened mages. This fact alone Phenomena include Cyberpathy, Fascination, and
allows the sect to draw in enormous membership Telepathy.
The Hollow Ones

Chapter Three: Practitioners 137

 The Hollow Ones traditionally attract all sorts of The Weavers are a Middle Eastern sect in only the
alternative subcultures to their ranks. They take a loosest definition. They share beliefs and Arts but
great deal of inspiration from gothic art and have little to no internal structure. Many are nomadic,
philosophy. They aren’t chasing after enlightenment and even those who aren’t prefer to work alone except
like so many other mage sects. Rather, they explore when being trained or taking on an apprentice. They
through rebellion and individualism. They sometimes do work together otherwise if they must. The Weavers
come off as shallow to other sects, but their total lack focus on the inherent beauty and rapturous experience
of emphasis on Awakened enlightenment makes them in magick weaving fire.
suit cast-off hedge magicians and psychics who would Masters train their apprentices vigorously, and
often get patronized or glossed over in such while they have no explicit exclusions against hedge
discussions. magicians, it would be unlikely for a young sorcerer
The Hollow Ones, or Darklings, organize into to pass the tests expected of them. An incredibly
small, individualized cliques. They approach graceful powerful Pyrokinetic might be able to demonstrate
rebels and cast-offs to see if they have chemistry with sufficient aptitude but would be an extremely rare
the group. They’re more bonded together by case.
philosophy and aesthetics than any particular magical The Knights Templar
practice. However, being so individualized, there’s no For over two millennia, this male-led ancient
universal Darkling opinion on hedge magicians. Some Christian order has been fighting against Satan’s
cliques will be more accepting than others. corruption. They were formerly part of the
The Children of Knowledge Technocratic Union, back when it was called the
The Solificati, as they prefer to be called, are Order of Reason, but suffered a huge reputation hit
alchemists seeking enlightenment. And what a from rumors conspirators spread after the Knights
psychedelic enlightenment it is. These days, they shone light on corruption within the Order. They
focus mainly on perfecting magical and mundane drug hardly see eye to eye with most of the other
compounds and doling them out to the masses, to let Disparates but will accept help fighting the Nephandi.
even Sleepers reach enlightenment. In modern days, they’re beginning to accept women in
While an Alchemist or Herbalist could be useful support roles.
to their covens, mostly providing ancillary work, only Hedge magicians may serve in a lodge if they’re
a legendary hedge magician might be able to pass the faithful and courageous enough but can’t progress
normal limits of their path to complete initiation. The beyond the lowest rank of Brother or Sister without
test involves transmuting common metals to gold or Awakening.
silver, which is beyond what a hedge magician can Sisters of Hippolyta
expect to accomplish. Amazons of the current day, the Sisters of
Other Associates Hippolyta are a women-only group of sacred warriors.
The Kopa Loei They believe in the value of life, but particularly free
The Kopa Loei are traditional Polynesian wizard- life. They would readily choose death over slavery,
priests, kanakakahuna, who organize into blood-kin but fight defensively for themselves and vulnerable
groups of up to about 20 members called kadugos. women and children to ensure they’re not enslaved in
They organize with elders teaching children the the first place. The society is very cautious and
foundations of magic and culture. They don’t secretive and do not allow men to know the location
recognize Sphere magic as separate from hedge of their conclave. They require a month-long trial
magic, so there is no disparity besides recognizing period of living in the conclave before teaching a
some kanakakahuna as more powerful than others. potential initiate any of their ways, to be sure the
All initiates must be native islanders and initiate is trustworthy and has a suitable personality
recommended by their community to join. They use for the group.
no techno-sorcery whatsoever. The Taftâni They don’t discriminate between the Awakened
and unawakened, believing all have a voice. Their
 Extraordinary Citizens and
Technocratic Backgrounds
Extraordinary citizens can make full use of Gadgets and Trinkets and can often squeeze some utility
out of Devices and Inventions. Many extraordinary citizens in the field carry an ES-Phone or drive a
SMC vehicle even though many of the esoteric functions of these Devices are beyond their ability to
activate or comprehend. An extraordinary citizen can purchase dots in the Requisitions and Secret
Weapons Backgrounds just like any other member of the Technocratic Union. These Backgrounds
can be pooled with other members of their amalgam, Enlightened or not. While an extraordinary
Black Suit might not be able to use a Neuro-Optical Transmitter, they can certainly requisition one
and assign it to an Enlightened colleague. Due to their familiarity with the Union’s bureaucracy,
many extraordinary citizens have the Master of Red Tape Merit (M20 Book of Secrets p. 58).
Extraordinary citizens can also take full advantage of the Construct and Enhancement Backgrounds,
improving the power and security of their base of operations and incorporating remarkable effects
into their bodies through Enlightened Science. The vast resources of the Technocratic Union
combined with the remarkable abilities of hedge magic paths or psychic phenomena can lead to
great power in the hands of an extraordinary citizen. Of course, like all benefits granted by the
Union, these perks are performance dependent. If the recipient displays unmutual behavior,
squanders resources, makes frivolous requests, or simply fails to meet performance standards, their
Supervisor is likely to reallocate resources away from the questionable asset and to the hands of
productive agents who can meet performance standards.
practices heavily rely on High Ritual and teamwork, receive praise and security for their contributions to
which make the hedge magicians of the sect more the Union’s efforts. Though no mutual operative
useful to the collective than they could be otherwise. would ever accuse an extraordinary citizen of using
Wu Lung hedge magic — or any kind of magic for that matter
Descendants of the old gods of China, the Wu — the use of advanced scientific techniques is
Lung are a sect of mages currently restructuring after encouraged and freely taught among the Union’s
imperialism and corruption decimated their former lowest ranks. Furthermore, the Union aspires to be an
glory. They’re working on becoming more flexible to enlightened meritocracy where each citizen and
accommodate different problems the sect faces, and in operative can rise to the level of their competence.
the meantime try not to draw too much attention to Though politics can interfere, as in any organization,
themselves lest they show their hand. the extraordinary citizens of the Technocracy
generally enjoy more social mobility than the acolytes
Wu Lung are mostly male and primarily of and custos among their counterparts in the Traditions.
Chinese heritage, but they do accept women and
mixed-race Chinese people if they must. Wu Lung TISFL: Life in the Union
specifically search for potential initiates who are Extraordinary citizens find work in every theater
already on the verge of Awakening. They have no of Technocratic operations. From laboratory assistants
interest in those not expected to Awaken, though they and data wranglers working in the safety of a
might use them as non-member tools. Construct to front-line support in Black Suit teams to
manufacturing positions among the Kamrads and
The Technocratic Union Ciphers of Iteration
The Technocracy maintains a special place for X, the Union has numerous positions for low-light
members of the Masses who can utilize rudimentary operatives. While most extraordinary citizens never
Enlightened Science, despite the lack of an inner advance beyond T1 in the union’s 6TP structure (see
Genius. These extraordinary citizens, also known as Technocracy Reloaded p. 30-37), those who exhibit
low-light operatives, form the backbone of the exceptional acumen may be promoted to T2 rank,
Technocracy’s organization on the Front Lines and with all the benefits and responsibilities thereof. Not

Chapter Three: Practitioners 139

every Black Suit in the field is an Enlightened all such members. Healthcare is provided through
operative. Many are extraordinary citizens whose Progenitor-run clinics, granting the extraordinary
performance merits the opportunity to participate citizen access to state-of-the-art medicine and
directly in Field Operations. Extraordinary citizens procedures. Tier 1 operatives may also access
must work hard and adhere strictly to protocol to Enlightened medical upgrades such as cybernetics,
achieve and maintain assignments to field operations. clonal replacement organs, and genetic modifications.
Any extraordinary citizen whose loyalty rating falls In terms of access to equipment, extraordinary citizens
below Degree 2 in the SDS (see Technocracy can requisition gear from the Technocracy just like
Reloaded p. 38) can expect to return to desk duty any other agent. Because a significant percentage of
until they make amends for their mistakes. the bureaucratic workload of the Union is handled by
For the most part, extraordinary citizens are unenlightened sympathizers and citizens, those
unable to achieve the necessary status within the extraordinary citizens who have risen up through the
Union to access perks such as marriage, private living ranks can often leverage their connections and
quarters, and having children. Those perks are usually camaraderie with other unenlightened personnel to
available only to Enlightened operatives. A handful of slice through red tape and maximize the efficiency of
extraordinary citizens throughout the Union have risen their requisitions. Several field teams rely heavily on
to the necessary Tier to request such perks, these are the bureaucratic acumen — and Backup and
extreme exceptions, reserved for the best of the best of Requisitions Backgrounds — of the extraordinary
the best. Most extraordinary citizens who attain T2 citizens on the team.
rank can qualify for committed partnerships, provided
they maintain an appropriate SDS rating. Psychics and the Technocracy
The Technocratic Union aggressively recruits
Membership Has Its Privileges psychics through a variety of means. Many
One of the most significant benefits an parapsychology studies and facilities are fronts for
extraordinary citizen of the Union enjoys is access to Technocratic activity. Through Mind Adjustments
the extensive resources of the Technocracy. Basic operatives evaluate anyone reaching out to — or
living costs are never a concern for extraordinary discovered by — such facilities for psychic potential.
citizens, as the Union provides food and lodging for Those who display even the barest potential are
earmarked for top priority recruitment. Beyond
 Scramblers— Anti-Psychicsand the Technocracy
The Technocratic Union especially prizes the Anti-Psychic Phenomenon. Psychics with this ability are called
Scramblers in Union parlance. When the Technocracy discovers one of these rare psychics, they spare no
expense in their recruitment and training. Scramblers are showered with privileges and rewards as part of
the pitch to join the Union because they are so damn useful.
The Anti-Psychic(p. 55) Phenomenon allows the psychic to not only suppress other psychic phenomena,
but to interfere with the deviant abilities of Night-Folk and even impede Mind Adjustments and Procedures.
This ability can often determine the outcome of tense altercations with Reality Deviants by shutting down an
entire segment of a target’s potential abilities. Though Anti-Psychics also deprive operatives in their vicinity
of the same resources, the Technocrats deployed with an Anti-Psychic have the advantage of knowing that
Mind effects will suffer during the operation and can plan accordingly. Managers and Supervisors frequently
engage in bureaucratic and political skirmishes in the hopes of getting a Scrambler on staff.

these well-funded, but relatively fringe programs, the In addition to these comparatively mundane methods
Technocracy monitors medical facilities under Progenitor
of recruiting psychics, the Technocracy operates a secret
influence for signs of psychic activity. Many psychics
Cross-Convention
seek Initiative called the Department of
medical treatment when their gifts first manifest, fearing
Metahuman Studies. Through DMS, the Union maintains
their newfound abilities are the result of some neurological
a false front as a clandestine military group focused on the
malfunction or psychotic break. Technocratic operatives
location and training of people with superhuman abilities.
are happy to explain the truth to such unfortunates “Let
as us train you to protect a world that fears and hates you”
part of their recruitment pitch. is a surprisingly effective recruitment pitch, especially in
an era where superhero fiction dominates popular culture.

Chapter Three: Practitioners 141

Chapter Four: Tools and Traits 143
Nature, Demeanor, and Essence Certification, Contacts, Cult, Demesne, Destiny,
Select a Nature and Demeanor that matches your Fame, Familiar/Companion, Influence, Library,
character and an Essence that fits your concept and Mentor, Past Lives, Patron, Rank, Resources, Spies,
Affiliation. The Avatar’s influence will be more Status, and Totem. Characters aligned with the
subtle than in an Awakened mage, but that guiding Disparate Alliance or the Traditions may include
force will be there with a sorcerer. See Mage 20 p. Chantry, Node, Retainers, and Sanctum in their
266-273 for additional explanation of Nature, available Background choices. Those loyal to the
Demeanor, and Essences. Technocratic Union may add Construct, Hypercram,
Enhancement, Node, Requisitions, Laboratory, and
Secret Weapons to their Background choices.
Step Two: Select Attributes and
Abilities Numina
Each sorcerer has 5 dots of Numina to spend to
In this stage of character creation, you assign
determine the skill and power the sorcerer has
points to your character’s game traits to reflect their
developed. These aren’t limited to 3 dots per Path,
capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses.
but may only be spent within one style of Numina
Attributes that will determine what type of Numina your
Determine which Attributes are most significant character may learn (Hedge Magic Paths or Psychic
to your character, prioritizing between Physical, Phenomena). If you are building a hedge wizard,
Social, and Mental attributes, providing 6 dots to each level of Path rating you purchase allows you to
spend on the highest priority, 4 for the second, and 3 select one ritual. The ritual must be of a level equal
for the tertiary Attributes. to or less than your Path rating. You can’t take a
ritual of a specific level without having at least one
Abilities at each lower level. Thus, you need to have a Level
Next, prioritize Abilities that represent your One ritual and a Level Two ritual to take a Level
sorcerer’s studies, practice, and skills. As with Three ritual.
Attributes, you’ll prioritize between Talents, Skills, While most sorcerers stick to their initial
and Knowledges. Spend 11 dots on the primary instructions of magic, some begin to investigate
Ability category, 7 on the secondary, and 4 on the other powers that are similar to their own. Such
tertiary. No Ability may receive higher than 3 dots at sorcerers learn how to combine hedge magic with
this stage, but you will be able to spend freebie psychic phenomena, though it is exceedingly
points on them later in character creation. difficult to take on these new Numina and requires
dedication to the work that most sorcerers simply do
Step Three: Select not have the patience and interest in. This is not
done during character creation but through
Advantages expenditure of experience points and with Storyteller
Advantages reflect unique aspects to your approval.
character that go beyond the basic Attributes and
Abilities. Some sorcerers may have plentiful magical Step Four: Finishing
allies and tools at hand, while others are more in
touch with the mundane world, possessing political Touches
power and money. These elements round out your character’s
capabilities and provide opportunities for
Backgrounds customization.
You have 5 dots to spend on Backgrounds to
reflect your sorcerer’s history and personal power. Willpower
These can be spent freely on Allies, Alternate Sorcerers are naturally willful and stubborn,
Identity, Arcane/Cloaking, Backup, Blessing, which allows them to persevere through training and

144 Sorcerer
challenges of their Art. They receive 5 dots of Freebie Points
Willpower to reflect this and may have more if you Finally, you have 21 freebie points to spend to
spend freebie points on it. fill in any gaps in your character. Are there ratings
that should be higher, to represent the heights that
Quintessence, and Paradox your sorcerer has already reached, or additional
Sorcerers do not suffer from Paradox, as they Background points to cover their history or
work within the confines of fundamental reality, additional skills? Consult the Character Creation
rather than bending reality to their will. chart for the freebie points costs. If your Storyteller
is using Merits and Flaws, this is the appropriate
time to choose them. As always, Merits and Flaws

Chapter Four: Tools and Traits

145
 Character Creation Process
Step One: Character Concept Step Four: Select Advantages
Choose concept, Affiliation, Nature, Demeanor, Choose Backgrounds (5 points).
and Essence Choose Numina (5) (Paths, rituals, psychic powers,
Step Two: Select Attributes foci).
Prioritize the three categories: (6/4/3). Begin with Step Five: Finishing Touches
one dot in each Attribute and assign points to your Record Willpower (5).
Physical, Social, and Mental Traits.
Step Three: Select Abilities Spend freebie points (21).
Choose Specializations.
Prioritize the three categories: (11/7/4). Choose
Talents, Skills, and Knowledges. No Ability greater Finishing Touches.
than three at this stage.

Freebie Points
Trait Cost
Attribute 5 per dot
Ability 2 per dot
Path/Phenomena 7 per dot
Ritual 3 each
Background 1 per dot
Willpower 1 per dot

Experience Points
Trait Cost
New Ability 3
New Path/Phenomena 7
Secondary Numina (See Above) 21
Willpower current rating
Ability current rating x2
Affinity Path current rating x6
Attribute current rating x4
Path/Phenomena current rating x7
New ritual rating of ritual
Background current rating x3

146 Sorcerer
are optional and should be approved by the Storyteller • A minor Artifact (Pecos Bill’s Revolvers (–1 on
to ensure they fit the story and character. difficulty to aimed shots))
•• A useful Artifact (Anna Pavlova’s Ballet Shoes
Specialties
(+2 for dice involved in movement))
After freebie points have been spent, you should
assign a specialty for each Attribute, Ability, and Path ••• An Artifact of significant power (Lillian
rated at four or higher. Any time you perform an Head’s Broom (Witch’s Steed))
action that uses an Attribute, Ability, or Path that •••• A much-sought Artifact mentioned in legends
relies on or incorporates the specialty, any 10s rolled (Skull of Merlin (Vision Skull))
are counted as two successes. For more on specialties
••••• An artifact of incredible power (Deshayes’
see Mage 20 p. 274
Fatal
Finishing Touches Cup)
At this point, your sorcerer should exist
mechanically, but you should spend some time now Merits and Flaws
truly bringing them to life. What is their favorite Use of Merits and Flaws is always optional but
color? What do they even look like? Who are their can be a useful tool to provide additional bonuses or
close associates? All the things that make your drawbacks that reflect your character. The following
sorcerer into a real person. Remember that any are particularly suited for sorcerers, but work with
significant detail should have a matching trait, though your Storyteller to ensure that the Merits or Flaws you
one of the best ways to do this is to include functional picked will be relevant to the story. In addition to the
dot ratings into the description of your character. Merits and Flaws listed here, Storytellers may allow
Merits and Flaws from Mage 20 or Book of Secrets
Backgrounds at their discretion. Isolated Upbringing:
Backgrounds presented in Mage 20 p. 301-328 (2 pt Flaw)
can work for most sorcerers, but several only apply to You were raised within a reclusive environment
mages. and have had little contact with the “mundane” world.
This could mean you were the child of Arcanum
Artifact scholars, were born in a Uzome ile, or were
Artifacts are items that are inherently supernatural extensively home-schooled away from society. This
with a power of their own. This Trait allows you to gives you a limited understanding of how the
begin play with an artifact, whether it was a family “normal” world works, and whenever you are outside
heirloom, a gift from a Mentor, or a discovery that of your childhood Affiliation, you have a –1 die
someone has not taken from you. The Storyteller will penalty to all social skills.
create the Artifact based on your suggestions; a player
does not create such items without use of the Innocent: (1 pt Merit)
Enchantment Path (p. 26). Mythical artifacts of If you’ve done something wrong, you are the last
legends are not valid objects for this Trait but should to be blamed, unless evidence of your wrongdoing is
be the goals of quests. As a Background, Artifacts brought forward. This does not mean you are “an
should also include story elements like curses, innocent;” everyone simply assumes you are.
prophecies, restrictions that might hold back hidden Psychic Awareness: (3 pt Merit)
powers of the Artifact, or a rival family who wishes to Even if you have no psychic powers of your own,
reclaim what is theirs. Work with your Storyteller to you can sense the presence of recent psychic energies
figure out what might be interesting for your character within a nearby area (about a 10-foot radius) with a
to delve into. Each dot in this Background indicates Perception + Occult (difficulty 8) roll. How much
an increasingly powerful Artifact, and the Storyteller information you glean and how detailed it is depends
should ensure the Artifact is roughly equivalent to an on your successes. A single success might merely
Enchanted item made with the Enchantment Path. confirm that a psychic talent was at work recently,

Chapter Four: Tools and Traits

147
while five or more might allow you to pick up the Black and White: (1 pt Flaw)
lingering sensation of a talented psychic who had been Everyone quibbles about shades of gray and
here, her strength, mood, and plans at the moment she nuances, but you don’t get bogged down in such
had passed by. The Flow of Ki: (3 pt Merit) wastes of time. The world is actually very simple, and
You understand the natural flow of energy everything falls into neat categories that you can judge
through the human body, taught through a form of in an instant. For you or against you, good or evil,
martial arts. This energy is represented as easy or impossible, necessary or not, your judgmental
Quintessence but may be called a variety of things: nature causes misunderstandings and social friction as
chi, ki, and others, depending on your martial arts you oversimplify everything. In social scenarios
style. You may spend Quintessence from your internal where your closemindedness comes to bear, increase
reserves to reduce the difficulty of any die pool for the difficulty by one. This Flaw combines well with
physical actions. You cannot lower the difficulty other focusing Merits like Code of Honor.
below two, nor may you reduce it by more than three. Pacifist: (5 pt Flaw)
You must be able to store Quintessence in your own You’ve chosen to cause no intentional harm to
pattern to be eligible for this Merit. anyone, be it a religious restriction or a moral decision
Force of Spirit: (2 pt Merit) you made. You may defend yourself with magic, and
The light of your soul is evident to those around this may be something that you have specialized in for
you. You may physically glow, appear divinely that purpose. If you take this Flaw, you should be
beautiful, or perhaps your voice resonates with the prepared to play with these restrictions sincerely.
music of the spheres. You may spend Quintessence Style Sleeper: (2 pt Merit)
points to reduce the difficulty of a social roll on a one- Your character knows that magic is real, they
for-one basis. No difficulty may be lower than two, practice magic themselves, but these other pretenders
and none may be lowered by more than three. You are clearly fakes. Anytime you see magic that fits your
must be able to store Quintessence in your own Paradigm, things proceed as they should, but when
pattern to be eligible for this Merit. you are a witness to magic outside of that style, you
Strength of Psyche: (2 pt Merit) are treated as a Sleeper. This is not a Flaw because it
You have developed a talent to draw on arcane more often disrupts the magic of your opponents and
energies to supercharge your mind. You can sharpen not your own. There may be some unintended
your senses, speed your thoughts, and connect the consequences when another sorcerer of a different
dots between disparate clues. You may spend Paradigm tries to heal you, but your disbelief counters
Quintessence points to reduce the difficulty of any die their magic.
pool for a mental action. The difficulty may not be Twin Link: (4 or 6 pt Merit)
reduced below two, nor be reduced by more than Your psychic character shares a permanent
three. You must be able to store Quintessence in your psychic connection to another person. This duplicates
own pattern to be eligible for this Merit. the benefit of the Level Two Synergy effect. The
Detached: (4 pt Merit) linked psychics gain +2 to their Empathy score to
The power of your mind is beyond the anchor of determine the other party’s feelings. As a 6pt Merit,
your body — physical existence separated from the bonded characters can purchase the Synergy
psychic phenomena. You do not suffer wound power, in addition to other psychic powers they may
penalties on uses of your psychic powers until you are have at a lower cost — 7 freebie points per dot, 3
Incapacitated. When you are Incapacitated, you may experience points per dot to increase. This Synergy
spend a Willpower point to attempt to manifest a power only works on their bonded partner.
psychic power at half the normal die pool (rounded Wild Talent: (4 pt Merit to 4 pt Flaw)
down). You can only try this once per scene, after While many psychics never receive proper
which you fall unconscious. training to develop their gifts, you lack even basic
control of your powers. However, without

148 Sorcerer
burdensome control over your talents comes greater Psi Focus: (3-5 pt Flaw)
power. Use the following table to determine the costs Your psychic power requires something beyond
and effect of this Merit (or Flaw) which cannot exceed your own mental powers to manifest, whether you
4 points: need your lucky feather, to ask pretty please, or just
+1 For every extra die you have when using the pantomime the action you need to happen. For a 3-
power. point Flaw, you have to gesture or speak an
incantation for the power to work. For a 4-point Flaw,
–1 You must make a Willpower roll (Difficulty 7) to you require a physical focus to work such as crystals,
use the power. tarot cards, or candles. For a 5-point Flaw, the power
only works with a specific focus, akin to a mage’s
–2 You can only consciously use the power
unique instrument (Mage 20 p. 588). The 5-point
defensively. (Your precognitive powers warn
version of this Flaw is also available to hedge
you of an attack using Danger Sense, or your
wizards.
telekinesis can stop an oncoming car.)
Path Inept: (5 pt Flaw)
–3 You have no conscious control of the power, You have a Path that you just do not understand.
but it works more often to your benefit than not. This could be due to a curse, lack of training, or a
(Your clairvoyancy manifests in useful mental block. You must choose a Path from those that
prophetic are available to your Affiliation. When improving the
dreams.) chosen Path, you must spend one quarter more
–4 Your powers activate randomly (a minimum of experience points to increase Path levels or rituals.
once per session) and often when you least This must be a Path your character desires and plans
expect or desire it. (Telekinetically flinging to study.
books around a library while attempting to do
research.) Ritual Sleeper: (5 pt Flaw)
Magic doesn’t happen at the snap of a finger. You
Path Natural: (5 pt Merit) are unable to manifest any instant magical effects, and
You are naturally gifted to one Path of power. you are limited to performing rituals. If the rules of
This could be tied to your mundane skills that your Affiliation already require magic through only
translate easily to magic, a heritage that calls to ritual, you may not take this Flaw. You’re considered
certain power, or you have made a deal with a Sleeper if you witness an instant magical effect.
otherworldly beings to open yourself to greater power.
During character creation, chose one Path; in this
Path, you only pay three-quarters experience, rounded
Tools of the Trade
This is a list of artifacts that a sorcerer might find
down, to advance to higher levels or to learn rituals
or create. Players can select from these with the
for that Path.
Artifact Background (p. 106) or use them as
Psychic Feedback: (1, 2, or 6 pt Flaw) inspiration to create their own Artifacts.
Your psychic powers are a great gift, but they take
Eternal Light •
their toll on you. As a 1-point Flaw, you experience
Once a staple for sorcerers drafted into military
headaches or disorientation. Roll Stamina + Mediation
service, this simple magic item fell out of vogue in
(difficulty 7). On a failure, the difficulty of all actions
recent years. This is a sturdy-looking metal lighter
increases by two for one round while the pain
that requires no lighter fluid or other accelerant to
overtakes you. As a 2-point Flaw, you experience
produce a flame. Anyone may use it, whether they
light but long-term pain from use of your power. Roll
have magical skill or not. The user breathes on the
Intelligence (difficulty 6) each time you use a power
case and then flips the lid open to start the flame. The
to “soak” the power’s activation successes, which are
flame is resistant to inclement weather, but only to
treated as bashing damage. As a 6-point Flaw, the
coincidental levels. It would, for example, go out and
psychic takes this as lethal damage, with the same
option to “soak.”

Chapter Four: Tools and Traits

149
have to be reactivated if the entire flame was Reflection of the Inner Self ••
drenched. A necessity for newly initiated Silver Portal
Reindeer Antler Rune Stones • sorcerers, this mirror carries a special blessing crafted
by a more experienced member to facilitate a
Hand-carved rune stones are common in forn
sorcerer’s first journeys into the Dream Realms. The
seiðr and other Divination practices. Some believe
full-length mirror is carved or painted with eldritch
carving one’s own runes increases the sorcerer’s
symbols around the perimeter of the glass plane. The
magical affinity to the set. For these rune stones, the
creator rolls Perception + Lucid Dreaming at
affinity has tangible effect. The sorcerer who created
difficulty 8 to pluck the required symbols from the
the rune stones receives one bonus success on
Dream Realm. Each success lowers the difficulty of
Divination rolls when they succeed. However, the
the recipient’s Meditation or Lucid Dreaming rolls
affinity goes both ways. If the sorcerer fails their
while using the mirror by 1. After three attempts, the
Divination roll, treat it as a botch.
markings fade, and the mirror loses all magical
These rune stones are usually made in Winter properties. The mirror doesn’t confer the effect to
after reindeer shed their antler for the season, though a anyone but the recipient declared when the sorcerer
sorcerer who hunts might make the rune stones from creates the relic.
the antlers of a kill. Similar rune stones can be made
with mica stone. The Secret-Keeper’s Journal ••
This journal, unassuming on first glance, is a
crucial fail-safe for sorcerer spies, paranoid magical
experimenters,

150 Sorcerer
and even a few embarrassed novice writers. On the final or certain flowers according to their practice. The sorcerer
page, a skeleton flower is left pressed and affixed to theseals the bottle and incants a spell or prayer over it.
journal’s back cover. When the user wants the markings Once the sorcerer seals the bottle, they hide it on the
inside the journal to discreetly and immediately disappear, property of the person who needs protection, typically inside
they spritz water on the skeleton flower’s petals. As thea wall in the house or on the edge of the yard. The sorcerer
petals turn clear, there will be no visible or tactile tracemay also instruct the recipient to hide the magic object
of the writing or drawings inside. When the flower dries themself. So long as the witch’s bottle remains undiscovered
completely two days later, the petals return to their opaqueby the enemy sorcerer, all magic they direct at the recipient
white color, and all the writing inside returns. If the -sorwhile they are on their property subtracts one success (or
cerer needs to make the writing disappear permanently,one success per roll in the case of extended spells or rituals).
they remove one of the flower’s petals while it’s still wet.
Osiris’Resting Place •••
Witch’sBottle •• The Children of Osiris temple in Luxor boasts an
A witch’s bottle is a traditional counter-magic object ancient limestone sarcophagus intricately carved with - hi
from England and the early colonial United States. Noteroglyphics that tell the story of Osiris’ quest to overcome
typically used by the sorcerer themself, this is another magic
undeath itself. It’s decorated with gemstones, inlaid with
item, like a love poppet, most often made on commission. gold, and kept in near-perfect condition through metic-
A Sorcerer might also make witch’s bottles for their loved ulous care by the Children. They claim Osiris himself
ones, to subtly protect them from rival sorcerers. rested within the sarcophagus while he still walked the
The sorcerer fills a bottle or jar with sharp objects, Earth
often in his vampiric state. Whatever the case for this
sewing needles or rusted nails, and then pours a substance relic’s origins, it possesses powerful healing magics and
containing the enemy sorcerer’s essence over thoseitems. saved many a Child of Osiris from the brink of death.
This is typically a bodily fluid such as blood, but can be Placing the injured or sick within the sarcophagus
hair, nail clippings, or a finely shredded photograph of increases
the their natural rate of healing to twice normal
enemy sorcerer. Some sorcerers add other items like herbs
Chapter Four: Tools and Traits
151
speed and decreases the Difficulty of all healing the user of the poppet. Most magicians capable of
magics performed on them by 2. making these Love Poppets rarely use them for
themselves, as once that fire has been lit in a subject,
Silent Feet ••• it is hard to stop. Supernatural beings like vampires
In a world where passing without notice is often are inhuman enough for this relic to be ineffective
the simplest way to ensure survival, these charms are against them, but when used against a human, they
fantastically useful. Created as anklets, toe rings, or are hooked for life. They will continue to love and
shoes (with sneakers a common modern choice), the obsess over the object of their affection, endlessly.
Silent Feet relic silences the footfalls of the wearer This can lead to fits of jealousy and envy, and if the
after it has been activated. This silence lasts until the subject of the Love Poppet is pushed away,
wearer speaks even a word, then remains inactive potentially destructive thoughts like “if I cannot
until the following night. The silent footfalls are have them, no one can.” Sorcerers and mages who
represented mechanically by giving the wearer a five recognize the Love Poppet’s affects may attempt to
die Stealth rating or adding five dice to their existing break the hold with an appropriate counterspell or
Stealth Skill. The relic only silences the wearer’s countermagick. Breaking the Poppet’s spell requires
steps, so the user must be wary of the sound of their three successes on a single Difficulty 7 roll. A mage
clothing, actions, and their voice, the last of which or hedge wizard may attempt one such roll per
ends the charm’s powers. month.
Sympathetic Bindings ••• Vision Skull ••••
An ancient recipe that continues to be useful This macabre Artifact is a skull blackened with
today, especially for the sorcerer on the go, these ink or fire and decorated with white chalk symbols
linen bandages are soaked with sulfuric acid powder of vision and sight. The skull allows the sorcerer to
and the blood of the intended patient. When this is scry far off people and places or to shift their
complete, the target begins to heal from across the perceptions forward and backward through time.
room without needing to be bound to the injured Blood and herbs are placed into the skull, after
person. The wound appears to close on its own, which the sorcerer meditates with it, falling into a
healing faster than one might expect. The trance while consuming the blood. Letting go of
Sympathetic Bindings heal lethal damage at a rate of their body, they begin to dance, while within their
one health level per day and stave off infection. Each mind visions play out. After a few minutes, the
wound requires a different set of Bindings, and they sights fade, and their body falls into a heavy sleep.
must be used no more than one day after they have Mechanically, the skull grants the user a vision,
been prepared. After use, the bandages become similar to those achieved through the Divination
mundane blood-soaked cloth. Path. This vision is symbolic and not literal, giving
Witch’s Steed ••• hints and clues to what the user is trying to see. Each
The classic tool of European witches, this use of the skull is a separate ritual, and the sorcerer
appears to be a normal broom with no magical must rest at least 24 hours between uses.
effects. After the sun sets, the broom handle darkens Deshayes’ Fatal Cup •••••
and lengthens, and the bristles become thorny and Named in honor of Catherine Deshayes, fortune
sharp. A sorcerer atop a broom flies at 50 mph and teller and master poisoner, these cups come in a
has an Arcane rating of 5 for the duration of their variety of shapes and styles. While they appear to be
ride. normal at a glance, there is a faint inscription across
Love Poppet •••• the bottom of each cup. By rubbing fresh blood
Formed into a vague humanoid figure, these across these inscriptions, the liquid contained in the
relics are combined with personal materials from a vessel is turned into a magical, deadly poison.
subject — hair, fingernail clippings, or bodily fluids Whoever finishes the cup will die, usually within the
— to connect the doll’s magic to the subject. The next five minutes. A sorcerer may counterspell the
doll then compels the subject to fall ‘in love’ with poison (Difficulty 7), a mage may stop the inevitable

152 Sorcerer
with Life, Prime, or Matter effects, while a
shapeshifter may use Stamina + Primal-Urge
(Difficulty 7) or a healing Gift. Vampires suffer
incapacitating pain for the remainder of the scene
unless they succeed on a Stamina roll (Difficulty 7),
in which case they can act normally, if
uncomfortably. A mortal is simply doomed.
There are lesser versions of the Fatal Cup,
known as Dionys’ Chalice, which turns the liquid
into a magically inebriating or hallucinogenic drink.
This drink causes intoxication or delirium for six
hours, unless the drinker attains three or more
successes on a Stamina roll (Difficulty 8), in which
case they just have a good time.

Chapter Four: Tools and Traits

153
 Magicians and Mentalists
The shadows of the World of Darkness have always concealed supernatural secrets. Monsters exist
and magic is real. Hedge wizards and psychics dwell on the edges of those shadows and of human
society, straddling the liminal space between daylight and darkness. These sorcerers draw on inborn
gifts or intense magical study to forward their agendas, protect their communities, or seek personal
gain and power. Some few cast their lots with one faction of the Ascension War or another, but most
sorcerers neither know nor care of the conflict among the so-called mages. For these practitioners,
power is personal and to be used for personal ends.
Whether you are a Storyteller looking to fill out supporting roles or craft compelling antagonists for
yourMage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition chronicle, a player wanting to bring something
unique to the table, or wanting to run an all-sorcerer story,
Sorcerercontains everything you need!

• Streamlined and complete rules for incorporating hedge magic Paths and Psychic Phenomena into
yourMage: The Ascensionchronicle.

• Character creation rules and options to bring your hedge wizard or psychic to life.

• Twenty Affiliations for Sorcerer characters to join or oppose, including classic favorites such as
the Arcanum and Project Twilight.

• New Merits, Flaws, Artifacts and more!