[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.