[Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition] Sophia: Hubris among the Wise

 Out of Character (OOC):

Chronicle: Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen
Venue: Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition
Chronicle Storyteller: Jerad Sayler

Assistant Storytellers: Hannah Nyland & Alex Van Belkum

Sophia: Hubris among the Wise

My comments to the MtA 2e are in blue and provide some guidelines on how we will implement and treat the conversion or re-creation of played Characters in our current Mage chronicle (Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen).  Effective implementation dates to be determined.  The following supersedes all previous rules regarding the Wisdom System.

Additional explanation is in this font, when it helps drive the concepts home.

Wisdom

Wisdom is a mage’s ability to judge the value of when, where, why, and how to use magic. Mages commonly call this virtue sophia, but Awakened society debates constantly on what constitutes “right” usage of their magic. Wisdom represents the control a mage has over her magic. A character with low Wisdom runs the risk of her magic spiraling out of control. It sometimes becomes a rampant force, and Paradox follows quickly behind.

The Wisdom system completely throws away our combination of the Integrity/Breaking point system.  Witnessing or committing acts of mundane badness no longer applies, mages are as far off the Morality scale as they choose to be.  Sure, there are social conventions, certain orders frown upon being a ruthless killer, others don't.  

Also, unless the supernatural badness is soul-shattering (usually Abyssal), most of the time it won't force degeneration.  Mages make deals with gods and devils, face down horrible creatures and maddening badness without harming their soul or increasing susceptibility to Hubris.  In the future, this kind of badness will be relegated to contested Willpower rolls and temporary Tilts and Conditions.  And, I like this.  It's just one more good idea from the developers.

Sophia is what the Diamond Orders called it.  Pride’s partner and Gnosis’s counterpoint. A wise mage knows when and where to use her powers and when to show restraint.  Although most mages outwardly laud the very wise, it’s much like Sleepers agreeing that very moral people are upstanding – saintly mages exist, but most are content with being only as wise as they personally are, justify their excesses as pragmatism and point to those further down the slide as the real problem.  The Orders definitely don’t agree on what behaviors constitute “wise,” each having blind spots and behaviors they promote that can be counterproductive for a mage trying to practice restraint.

Precision & Regard – Magic is a transformative act that leaves its mark on the soul of the practitioner. If you act without regard for consequences often enough, your grip on your spells becomes looser. Conversely, only enacting very precise imagos without side effects and keeping within the limits of your ability to deal with paradox helps build your control.  She casts spells without injuring the souls of others, and suffers fewer and lighter paradoxes.  Despite what the Orders think, morality and wisdom are not an automatic association.  Plenty of things that risk Wisdom are by their nature very immoral, such as mind controlling someone to get your way and not repairing the damage to their mental state, but mages no longer risk losing wisdom from committing mundane crimes.  This does not limit risking Wisdom to just casting spells however.

The Wisdom trait represents how much control a character has over her magic, and (as magic is channeled through the soul) the relative integrity and health of her soul. More than that, though, it represents how much the character cares about the impact of her magic on others.  High-Wisdom mages: cast magic subtly and carefully, minimizing the effects of witnessing the supernatural on Sleeper’s Integrity. They act with care for consequences, rather than abusing their gnosis to impose their own selfish ends.  Low-Wisdom mages: are direct and at times brutal with their spells, using too much power or creating indiscriminate spell effects because it’s easier and faster.

Wisdom is put at risk through acts of hubris, ignoring the consequences of one’s actions to achieve goals. Effects that damage the soul (some Death spells, or the attacks of a few supernatural monsters) can “injure” Wisdom temporarily, until their duration wears off.

Wisdom does *not* determine how “good” a character is – only how *careful* he is. You can have a high-Wisdom Seer of the Throne who practices extreme caution in using the Exarchs’ gift or a low-Wisdom firebrand with good intentions who casts before he looks. Mundane acts of hubris are less severe if they’re carefully preplanned; Mage is one of the few World of Darkness systems where premeditated murder is better than panicked killing in self defense!

Losing Wisdom

Wisdom decays through Acts of Hubris, wherein a mage ignores consequence in pursuit of her goals. Every mage and every circumstance is different from a Wisdom standpoint. Two mages in nearly identical circumstances may cast the same spell or commit the same action, but to one, his Wisdom is safe while the other risks degeneration. Also, different levels of Wisdom handle degeneration differently. As a mage’s Wisdom decreases, she becomes inured to loss, and only great Acts of Hubris will risk degeneration. On the other side of the spectrum, a mage with high Wisdom stands in a constant balancing act between Wisdom and hubris, and any minor misstep can send her Wisdom plummeting.

In the Acts of Hubris section below, you’ll see example acts for each level of Wisdom. These are only general recommendations. As a Storyteller, assess each action for potential hubris, and compare to the character’s Wisdom. If the character’s Wisdom is equal to or higher than the level you feel fits the action, the character risks degeneration. 

Degeneration risks use a number of dice depending on the relative Wisdom level of the Act of Hubris. Consult the Acts of Hubris list for how many dice each level of Wisdom act use. Note that the dice pool depends on the action; it doesn’t depend on the mage’s Wisdom. A mage with three dots of Wisdom and a mage with nine dots of Wisdom both use a base pool of 1 die if they commit a Wisdom 1 Act of Hubris.

Any time your character risks Wisdom degeneration, she automatically gains an Arcane Beat. Exploring the depths of hubris can be enlightening.

Attainments: Using a Legacy Attainment is never an act of hubris – the character’s Gnosis and soul are altered to accept that act, so it doesn’t risk the soul’s stability.

The Wisdom Degeneration Roll

Consider Obsessions:

Following Obsessions hurts a mage’s chance to maintain Wisdom, as that driving power makes him ignore the implications of his actions. If the Storyteller feels the mage commits an Act of Hubris in pursuit of his Obsessions, remove one die from the dice pool for degeneration.

Consider Virtue:

A character’s Virtue can add a die to the pool, if the act embodied hubris, but in defense of that Virtue. The character may very well understand and see the consequences of her actions, but she stands by them because she truly, fundamentally believes her actions are righteous.

Consider Vice:

On the other hand, following a Vice as an Act of Hubris is similar to an Obsession; it removes a die from the pool as your character indulges in what she believes is a moral failing. 

Soul Attacks:

Additionally, some spells that attack the soul, or powers of other supernatural creatures in the Fallen World, can temporarily reduce Wisdom until their effects wear off.

Roll the resulting dice pool. Compare the results below:

Dramatic Failure: Your character not only loses a dot of Wisdom from her complete disregard for the world around her, but she also gains a Persistent Condition pertaining to the hubris. Take Megalomaniacal or Rampant. The normal resolution gives a Beat. Your character may only resolve the Condition permanently by gaining a dot of Wisdom.

Failure: Your character loses a dot of Wisdom, as she fails to see the consequences and ripples from her actions. Take the Megalomaniacal or Rampant Condition that can be resolved normally.

Success: Your character is able to examine and understand the ramifications of her actions. She does not lose Wisdom.

Exceptional Success: Your character’s Wisdom is reinforced by examining the risk and consequences of her actions. Take an additional Arcane Beat from the epiphany. 

Acts of Hubris

Acts of Hubris determine when a mage risks Wisdom degeneration. While this list is not exhaustive, it’s also only a series of guidelines. Feel free to add, take away, or adjust as you see fit. Mages of greater Wisdom consider lesser acts to be Acts of Hubris. The greatest minds fall the easiest. Wisdom comes in three tiers, Enlightened, Understanding, and Falling. A character within that tier suffers when committing act within or beneath that tier. The tier of the Act of Hubris also determines the base dice pool to resist degeneration. Note that this is the tier of the act, not the mage. A mage at Wisdom 8 only gets one die to resist a Falling-level act. 

Wisdom 8–10, High / Enlightened (5 dice) 

These highest levels of Wisdom force the mage to walk a careful line. Any minor Act of Hubris risks degeneration. At this level, any time the mage uses a spell to accomplish something she could do through mundane methods with little or no risk poses the chance for degeneration. When innocent bystanders are affected by your character’s spells or actions, she is at risk as well.

Here are some elaborations on what High Wisdom mages act and what they won't do:

High Wisdom Mages...

...use as little magic as needed and try to not interfere with the fallen world except for the betterment of others.

...have a well versed understanding of human nature  and its interactions with the supernal and fallen worlds.

...are careful and subtle when using magic.

High Wisdom Mages risk Wisdom when they...

...use magic to accomplish a task that could be achieved just as well without it

...are selfish with their use of magic, using magic wantonly, trivializing its holy nature.

...use magic to coercing another so that he acts against his own free will

...commit minor selfish acts with magic (denying charity).

...use magic to force another so that they violate their own moral code (i.e., target is forced to make a degeneration roll)

...injure another (accidental or otherwise) as a result of magic (such direct magical bashing damage or stat loss, Conditions, or Tilts)

...cause Sleepers to suffer as a consequence of the mage's use of magic (Breaking points, etc).

Wisdom 4–7, Medium / Understanding (3 dice): 

Most experienced and stable mages fall into this range of Wisdom. Sometimes, Acts of Hubris happen. But by and large, the mage acts with basic Wisdom most of the time. Allowing a Sleeper to witness obvious magic, thus risking greater Paradox, can cause degeneration. Self-mutilating events such as soul stone creation risk degeneration. Not attempting to contain a severe Paradox risks degeneration as well. Forcing a sapient being (whether a Sleeper, spirit, or anything else) to act counter to its interests, altering its nature long-term, or binding it to a task all risk degeneration, as does deliberate and premeditated murder and violence that leaves its victim with long-term injury.

Here are some elaborations on what Medium Wisdom mages act and what they won't do:

Medium Wisdom Mages...

...use safety methods to reduce Paradox and Sleeper witnesses

...have a few minor vices that are enabled through their magic, though their acts are selfish, they are generally not life-threatening and don’t cause massive harm.

...do not intentionally expose Sleepers to obvious magic, though you are not restrained enough to avoid the occasional accident. 

...don’t mind inconveniencing strangers with their magic

Medium Wisdom Mages risk Wisdom when they...

...lay a significant curse on someone

...binding an unwilling sentient being to a place (such as through Mind or Spirit magic) or task (such as casting a Fate geas upon a subject).

...transforming a person into a lesser being against his will.

...intentionally cause mass property damage with magic.

...deliberately allow Sleepers to witness magic.

...use magic to make an innocent person afraid for their life.

...deliberately use magic to harm someone (not self-defense).

...drain another's Mana against their will.

...create a soul stone (and hence, limiting one's Gnosis potential.)

...commit Impassioned crime (like manslaughter) using of magic.

...not attempt to contain a significant paradox.

...create sapient beings.

Wisdom 1–3, Low / Falling (1 die): 

Hubris of this level concerns all mages. A mage at this precipice could be lost to his magic at any time. Only the darkest, most selfishly destructive acts risk degeneration at this point. Killing someone in a fit of rage, destroying an Awakened soul, allowing a Supernal being to be consumed by the Fallen World, or dealing with the Abyss can force the mage through her final loss of Wisdom.

Here are some elaborations on what Low Wisdom mages act and what they won't do:

Low Wisdom Mages...

...create all sorts of justifications for harming others with magic or using it recklessly.

...feel at least some remorse for their reckless or harmful actions, or question them somewhat, but do little about it. 

Low Wisdom Mages risk Wisdom when they...

...abduct and/or exile someone into another plane of existance.

...force someone to become possessed or mentally dominated.

...commit premediated murder with magic.

...intentionally preventing an Awakening.

...commit casual or callous crime with magic.

...commit acts that profane the Supernal.

...handle, steal, devour, or destroy a soul.

...annihilate or cause severe harm to others with magic.

...commit acts of utter heinous or perversion, such as mass murder with magic.

...make deals or suffer mental contact with the Abyss.

...allow a supernal being to die in the Fallen World and become consumed by the Abyss

...commit cruel premediated harm with magic that causes the victim intense suffering for a prolonged period of time (especially involved torture as well as fates worse than death).

Wisdom 0, Unplayable / The Mad: 

A character with no Wisdom is forever lost. His hubris has overcome him, and he’s become one of “The Mad.” His magic leaks into the world, letting the Supernal out wherever he goes. He cannot control his magic; it controls him.

Back in November 2015 we came up with some good Adjectives to describe the Virtues and Vices of Mages with certain levels of Wisdom.  If it helps explain, it helps:

Wisdom 10 - Virtue: Ascendant

Wisdom 9 - Virtue: Enlightened

Wisdom 8 - Virtue: Sagely 

Wisdom 7 - Virtue: Subtle

Wisdom 6 - Virtue: Measured

Wisdom 5 - Vice: Incautious

Wisdom 4 - Vice: Heedless

Wisdom 3 - Vice: Reckless

Wisdom 2 - Vice: Apathetic

Wisdom 1 - Vice: Unrepentant

Inuring

If a mage suffers Wisdom loss through use of a spell, she can choose to wipe that spell from future Acts of Hubris; any future uses will not incur Wisdom loss no matter the action. If she chooses to do this, to inure herself to the spell’s hubris, it forever becomes a Paradox risk. From that point forward, every use of the inured spell forces a base two-die Paradox risk. Your character may inure herself to the effects of one spell per dot of her Gnosis.

Raising Wisdom

Through effort, a mage who has become worried about his worsening Paradoxes may turn away from the downward slide of hubris. A mage attempting spiritual self-improvement must assign “Becoming wiser” as one of her Obsessions, working to understand her place in the universe. After at least one story with progress on this Obsession, the player may spend two Arcane Experiences to add a dot of Wisdom.

So does this mean that subjective morality, balancing the mundane with secret lives, and personal horror are dead in mage?  Hell no!  But that can be handled... through roleplay!  If you could have a simple, yet elegant system, that did a much better job of facilitating Wisdom as a game mechanic, or a complex and impossible system to try to capture all the personal struggles of being a mage, which would you prefer?  This time, I vote simple.  Let's try it out.  More was being lost in translation than was being captured with our ad-hoc system than was gained in my opinion.

[Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition] Gnosis & Mana

 Out of Character (OOC):

Chronicle: Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen
Venue: Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition
Chronicle Storyteller: Jerad Sayler

Assistant Storytellers: Hannah Nyland & Alex Van Belkum

Gnosis & Mana

My comments to the MtA 2e are in blue and provide some guidelines on how we will implement and treat the conversion or re-creation of played Characters in our current Mage chronicle (Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen).  Effective implementation dates to be determined.  The following supersedes all previous rules regarding the Gnosis & Mana System.

Gnosis

Have you ever been the expert in a room full of opinionated but uninformed people? Think about the feeling you get when they speak intellectual falsehoods, and others agree. Think about the feeling you get when your voice is shouted down by the raw numbers of other voices. Then, think about the feeling you get when your voice begins to click and resonate with the audience, and you feel you can make a change, to inform, to enlighten. Multiply those feelings one-hundredfold, and you have an idea of what Gnosis is.

Gnosis is the power and understanding that drives Awakened magic. It’s not magic, per se, but it’s necessary to create, to drive, and to foster magic. Gunpowder is not a gun, after all, but it is necessary to use a gun successfully. Gnosis is largely a subconscious awareness. It’s your character’s ability to take a mental leap beyond what others can; she can connect dots others cannot even see. She understands the universe intuitively, and can see the threads she must pull to enact meaningful change. For her, the question is never how to make change, but instead whether she’s able and willing to do what is necessary.

Gnosis by Path

Gnosis is different for everyone. Your character’s Path flavors her Gnosis, as well as every facet of her identity. 

Acanthus see strands of fate in everything. There’s no such thing as a true coincidence; the universe follows fractal patterns that are just too hard for the average mind to understand. The Acanthus see a web, a weave, where given enough time and space, threads must all somehow connect. At greater Gnosis, they begin to intuitively know just where and when they’ll connect, and thus how to manipulate the variables to bring about their desired outcomes. Classic mythology teaches us that we can’t change fate. High-Gnosis Acanthus can. For many, this understanding of what’s to come, and what could come, breeds a strong sense of responsibility.

Mastigos see the darkness. They see the stains and sins within every soul, lingering inside every mind. They understand motivations, and they can sense the selfishness all around them. Almost nobody is clean and pure. This typically results in a certain amount of cynicism in potent Mastigos. After all, what’s the sense in saving the world, when it’s full of such terrible people?

Moros see the way things will end. They see death. They see destruction. They see entropy. Even the most beautiful statue is only beautiful in the moment. Eventually, it’ll lose its color and shape to the weather around it, and Moros know this intimately. For this reason, the strongest of the Moros often ignore minor consequences, since they see that everything ends up dust anyway.

Obrimos see the depths, the potential in all things. When they look at a person, a place, or thing, they sense what it could be. For many Obrimos, this offers a sharp sense of  inspiration and motivation; they want to see the world improve. For others, it can breed deep pessimism. After all, they see the potential everyone wastes and refuses to embrace. Even the greatest squander some possibility within them.

Thyrsus see life in everything. To the Thyrsus’s wisdom, life will out. To that mind, a nuclear wasteland is but a temporary setback. This breeds a very liberal viewpoint; it’s often not worth intervening in all but the most existential of crises, as in the end, everything will be alright. This also highlights the contrary, though. That which is unnatural and threatens that long-term balance is a clear and present danger above anything as mundane as an immediate threat to human life.

Increasing Gnosis

In game terms, Gnosis can be raised by expending five Experiences in any combination of standard Experiences or Arcane Experiences. In the narrative, Gnosis requires knowledge and understanding. It requires moments of epiphany, study, and experience. Gnosis increases when your character has advanced philosophically, mystically, or academically in such a significant way that she’ll never see the world the same. While they’re not as influential and life-changing as the Awakening itself, these are moments the character will likely never forget, milestones in her advancement that show clear evolution of thinking, purpose, or identity. Whenever your character increases in Gnosis, consider changing or refining her Virtue or Vice. Definitely look to Aspirations and Obsessions for potential changes. The character doesn’t necessarily become a completely different person, but she’ll come out changed.

Effects of Gnosis

Gnosis affects numerous factors in gameplay:

• When ritual casting, Gnosis determines the amount of time a spell takes to cast. At the lowest levels of Gnosis, any ritual casting will take hours at least, and force a mage to stay awake for greater spells. As Gnosis increases, ritual casting becomes quicker.

• Gnosis builds the foundation for spellcasting dice pools. Whereas a mundane action uses an Attribute and a Skill, the “Attribute” in spellcasting is Gnosis, while Arcanum is the “Skill.”

Including Praxes and Rotes, both now use Gnosis as part of the dice pool.

• Gnosis determines your character’s maximum traits. Normally, a character is limited to five dots in Skills and Attributes. However, at Gnosis 6+, your character can achieve higher Attribute and Skill ratings.

• Upon Awakening, a mage can only use two Yantras in a given spellcasting. At higher Gnosis levels, she becomes able to integrate more Yantras into her casting.

• Gnosis determines how many spells your character can have active before she needs to Reach. This is direct, one-for-one. Every dot equals a spell.

This gets rid of the max active spells equaling Gnosis + 3.  It sounds insane, but consider that you usually always tie up these with Mage Armor and Mage Sight which no longer count against this total.  You also have no limit to the number of spells you can cast and control, but each spell over your Gnosis adds Reach (what we used to worry about as "Vulgar").  It's easier to maintain a bunch of low-level spells with high dots in the same Arcanum as this mitigates Reach.  Trust me, it will make sense soon.  You also can relinquish short-term spells with Willpower points instead of dots, they just tend to go Havoc over time or fizzle out.  This is doable.

• Gnosis determines the number of Obsessions your character may have at once.

• Legacy Attainments are limited by Gnosis. As the character’s Gnosis increases, the number of potential Attainments does as well; the Arcanum limits of the specific Attainments also increase.

• Gnosis determines the number of Paradox dice that are incurred for each Reach above Arcanum limits.

• Gnosis allows your character to combine multiple spells into a single casting, to get around limitations on numbers of active spells. At Gnosis 3, a mage can combine two spells into one casting. At Gnosis 6, she can combine three. And at Gnosis 9, she can combine four spells.

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

In addition to the training and cost limitations on Arcana, the new, real limiter on Arcana is Gnosis.  Again, seems insane, but it also makes sense from a growth perspective.  Gnosis, along being added to virtually ALL magical-related rolls, is the single most important trait in a Mage game.

• Gnosis acts as a mage’s “power trait” and adds to Supernatural Tolerance rolls. In  contested rolls to resist some supernatural powers, Gnosis adds to the dice pool. 

• Gnosis determines how much Mana a mage can contain within her Pattern, and how quickly she can process it. The chart notes a maximum Mana, and how much she can spend in a turn at her level of Gnosis.

• A mage’s Nimbus is partially determined by her Gnosis.

• Every dot of Gnosis comes with a free Praxis.

This is going to be complicated, many active characters are Adepts or Masters at Gnosis lower than they need.  Many characters are double Adepts or double Masters, also a problem to overcome.  We may allow a dot transfer dots from their highest Arcana to their Gnosis to solve this problem.  We will figure something out.

Mana

Mana is the palpable, measurable bleed of the Supernal into the material. It’s a Prime energy, a quintessential force that comes from the energy trapped when the Abyss came into existence, or sometimes comes into existence from the glory and greatness of the world. In a Hallow, it can suffuse a physical object, forming tass. Mages can keep a certain amount of Mana in their Patterns depending on their Gnosis dots. Alternatively, tass can be physically held and carried around in whatever quantities the mage can stockpile.

A Mage’s Gnosis determines her Pattern’s capacity for Mana storage, but it also determines how quickly she can spend it. Consult the Gnosis chart for these numbers.

Mana is now the true coin of the magical realm.  Having more Mana benefits healing, Mage Sight to uncover mysteries, call more kinds of Mage Armor, and cast more powerful spells.

Errata: Unless it says otherwise for a specific use, spending Mana is a reflexive action

Mana can be spent to:

• Improvise a spell not based on your character’s Ruling Arcana. Improvising a spell outside your character’s Ruling Arcana requires a point of Mana.

• Reduce Paradox risk on a spell by one die per point of Mana spent.

And, its my understanding that you can spend multiple turns casting and spend as much Mana as you want to reduce Paradox.

• Attainments often cost Mana to activate, as noted in their rules.

• Some powerful spells that push the boundaries of natural physics or violate the Lie require Mana, even if they are part of a Ruling Arcanum.

• Any Legacy Attainments based on spells that would cost 2 or more Mana require one point to use.

• Pattern Restorations - As the opposite of Scouring (see below), a mage can bolster her pattern and heal mentally or physically. Three Mana points can heal a level of bashing or lethal damage. Alternatively, the mage can remove a Mental Condition (this does not offer a Beat) or a Physical Tilt.

Hey look!  There are no longer limits on Pattern Restorations.  They are still expensive as hell to non-Life mages, but if you have Mana, and you are going to die, you spend.  It just might save your life.

Errata: Pattern Restoration is an instant action!  Not reflexive.

Mages attempting a feat that requires Mana above their Gnosis-derived spending limits may take as many Turns as needed before the action to spend the required Mana. If they are interrupted or change their minds part-way through, Mana spent is still lost.

Gaining Mana

Mages can absorb Mana through numerous methods:

• Oblations - The most common method is Oblation, or targeted meditation at a Hallow. This requires a Gnosis + Composure roll and one hour’s time. Each success gives one Mana, up to the limits imposed by the Hallow. As well, a mage with a Legacy can commit a special Oblation even away from a Hallow.

There are no longer limitations on how many Oblations a mage can perform a day.  They are first limited by their Hallow's dot rating.  In a 24 hour period, a mage cannot gain more than their Hallow's dot rating from an Oblation.  They can travel to other Hallows however, performing multiple Oblations to stockpile Mana.  Legacy Oblations can only grant a mage the number of Mana equal to the Legacy's Ruling Arcanum each day. 

If the Hallow isn't used up each day it stockpiles the difference in Tass.  Left alone, a Hallow will accumulate its dot rating in tass each day and can store up to three times its dot rating in tass before it goes dormant and stops producing mana until the tass is removed from the area.

• Mages with three dots of Prime may use the spell “Channel Mana” to absorb Mana from a Hallow without Oblation.

Again, our general rule is that you can drain the number of Mana from a Hallow equal to its dot rating before you risk forcing it into a dormant state.

• If Mana is left to accumulate at a Hallow, it’ll eventually congeal and crystallize into tass, which can be stored and accessed later. If the tass congeals in food, it can be eaten to absorb the Mana. Otherwise, Channel Mana is required to access tass.

• Moments of Supernal Revelation can generate Mana. This usually means fulfilling an Obsession.

• A mage can Scour her Pattern for Mana, literally tearing apart some of the building blocks that maintain her physical form. This shreds her mortal body, but the resulting release  produces Mana. In game terms, she reduces a Physical Attribute (and all traits derived from it, such as Health for Stamina) by one dot for 24 hours, or suffers one resistant lethal wound. This produces three Mana. At Gnosis 1–4, she can Scour once per day. At 5–6, she can Scour twice. At 7–9, she can Scour three times per day. And at Gnosis 10, she can Scour four times per day. 

• Lastly, Blood Sacrifice offers Mana. In an Act of Hubris, the mage kills a living being for Mana. Its death releases Mana from its Pattern. A small animal offers one Mana, while human sacrifices offer as much Mana as the person had Integrity dots remaining before the killing blow. The Mana gained from Sacrifice ignores the spend/Turn limits on Mana if the sacrifice is part of a spell’s casting.