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
Lost Legacy: Truthbringers
The following is a older custom Legacy for the Character Light played by David Ledbetter. The Attainments have not been converted to Mage 2.0 yet.
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Version: ST Approved, last revision 27-Apr-14
Creators:
Author: David Ledbetter – Player of the character Light and lead Legacy designer for this product, who’s tenacity made this concept the best fleshed out Custom Legacy in the venue.
Co-Author: Jerad Sayler – Storyteller of Mage II: The Dethroned Queen and player of the character Casstiel, who may have gained grey hairs going through version control and endless questions.
Collaborator: Mathew Hagen – Assistant Storyteller and player of the character Seraph, who spent countless hours polishing mechanics and concepts.
Collaborator: Korri Smith – Assistant Storyteller and player of the character Witness, who kept us from breaking the venue and solidified Attainments and concepts.
“I see
you... I judge you and mark you Nefrandi. I name thee Accursed, Scelestus!"
"I draw on my own inner fire, the spark that makes me
a human and a mage. I set it ablaze with my soul. And I channel it into the
things face. Celestial Fire. It screams.
I wreath my body in it, forcing more and more of my will into the fire which
burns inside of me and everything around it.
Pure, blue white fuel less Aethereal fire. It burns white around me and
into the tar creature made from insane math and hate. Where before the entity
was sticking to me it is now trying to escape. I hold fast and pour on more
heat. I push all my will into it and the shadow me burns as I push as much Mana
as I can into it. This Labyrinth is within and without me, it is the seat of my
magic, my center, and my will. The
creature does not grow stronger off any residual paradox here, for I draw on
what is me and burn it away from me. I
feel my tower, I feel the scourging fires of supernal purity running through
and around me, drawing down the Iron Gauntlet. I scour myself pure, lighting all the dark
corners of me and banishing all the shadows there. It withers and I feel the
mind that was it, me, and my bizarre mentor die. My vision falls back and looks at the high
vibrating ceiling. I black out in the fire, gazing at the lights from above and
smiling. Black tar dissolves in the fire
I lie in. I feel all my inner lies die. I feel the Abyss gone from me." -Light 2006 A.D.
It is clear to the Diamond Orders that there
is absolute Supernal truth and there is the Lie. Between the two is the gap of
the Abyss, eagerly sucking away at both sides, oozing into the cracks of
reality. Previously, Awakened and humanity had little in way of fighting back Abyssal
incursions directly, the anti-beings define themselves as loosely in the sheen
of the Lie as they can manage to define their forms... until an accident. A
newly Awakened mind was infected by abyssal thoughts. His shadowname was
Light for he saw the purity of the Supernal clearly upon his awakening through
the scourging fires of Pandemonium.
Lights, awakening had been particularly
unique (if there is such a thing as a ‘normal’ Awakening). During his journey through Pandemonium he
reached the tower and saw his version of God.
He also recounted the memories of many past lives as an angel, a
sub-soul, a being from the Time Before, and an agent of the truth through the cycles of
reincarnation. Souls were meant to be
perfected and made more divine through this cycle and his strong beliefs
flavored what followed with dire context after his infection. (Purchasing the Ancient Echoes Merit is
strongly justified for any member of the Legacy).
The Abyssal thought form incursion that
plagued him still exists in the world and is called The Nemesis Continuum (See more in Intruders: Encounters with the Abyss mage rulebook). It is an Abyssal meme that forces those who read
it to spread the false proofs which slowly erode and negate reality while defiling
and debasing its victim’s mind and soul.
Eventually the separation between the Lie and Abyss becomes thin in an
area spent sharing, studying, or creating the meme and other stronger
Manifestations follow. Victims continue
to go mad and suicide as they leak information they cannot contain.
Light, the Warlock, did contain it. He contained the infectious compelling just
long enough to find a Goetic master of the Adamantine Arrow named
Daedalus. Daedalus helped Light manifest
the infection into a separate being, a Tulpa of sorts. Armed with his new
mentor’s assistance, Light fought his dark twin in a location prepared to
augment physical reality with a Temenic pocket realm. This overlap of the real and the dreaming
helped better separate the Abyssally tainted knowledge from the rest of his
mind and giving it a form to be battled.
Light used Celestial fire to destroy the Geotic reflection and in so
doing he burned the Abyss out of himself, becoming one of the first and few to
survive exposure to the Continuum.
Without fully realizing it, the struggle to
destroy the Abyss’s hold on his mind he also modified his soul. The soul has many anchors to a living person
and one of those anchors is the mind, the part that carries on after death with
the quintessential life experience. When
he burned the Nemesis data out of his head he also rarefied some part of his
soul forever. Aided by Daedalus’s
training in the magical forges he tended, Light finished his transformation and
became the first of the Truthbringers.
The Truthbringer Legacy is the Supernal truth
of purification homed in Awakened Amnion, made manifest in the Fallen
realm. They are fighters against the
Abyss and its agents and bloodhounds of its taint. They fight incursions directly and either die
in the attempt or further purify their purpose.
Parentage: Obrimos or Mastigos.
The Prime and
Forces combination is a potent one against the war against the rift, making the
Obrimos ideal candidates for this Legacy.
They have seen the pure light of the Golden Key and understand how to
shine and burn away corruption. Warlocks are also ideal because of their
affinity with the scouring fires of Pandemonium. Their ability to confront their inner demons
makes them well suited to walk this difficult path. Truthbringers are lights which shine in the
darkness and this Legacy calls down and imposes Supernal truth into the Fallen
world. As such the Space Arcanum has
become ideal for spreading the Legacy’s Attainment effects to a larger area,
extending the light which shines and is not overcome.
Nickname: Torchbearer, Bastion, Hypocrite
(Derogatory, Vulgar)
Order Reception:
Adamantine Arrow: If the Arrow could have a Bastion in every squad they would. But only a select few know this Legacy even
exists. As such, there is always a
shortage of Torchbearers until the Legacy can grow further. Light’s teacher and
recruiter Daedalus has been very select in reaching out to trusted soldiers in
order to verify what Light has accomplished.
Any Legacy which involves Abyssal infection or power over the Quiescence
is under enormous scrutiny. Light needs
to be carefully evaluated by open minded Arrows to ensure this Legacy is not
somehow misunderstood and marked as Left-Handed. Light joined the Adamantine Arrow in 2006 but
his abilities have been seen by few. You
never know who you can trust. He
generally works better alone, able to hide from the Acursed and specializes in
Abyssal incursions. Any opportunity he
can to destroy traces of the Nemesis Continuum will become top priority. Daedalus remains a direct handler for Light
who has now gained the rank of initiated Talon in the Order.
Silver Ladder: While the Legacy remains unknown
to the Thearchs they would most likely view the Lightbringers as either
charlatans or venerated assets depending on how they are presented. Torchbearers may expect be stuck in a role of
mentor or teacher in order to capitalize on their understanding and
Attainments.
Guardians of the Veil: Always one to look a gift-horse in the mouth, the Guardians will be
the hardest to convince that the Legacy is not Left-Handed in some way due to
its powers over the Abyss. No legacy has
existed that so specifically annihilates and identifies those two dabble in the
anti-truth and that makes this order Suspicious. Once authenticated it is likely the order
will demand that Light takes on as many students as possible to spread the tiny
flickering candle into a forest fire.
This may be seen as a sign of the coming Heiromagus in some way.
Mysterium: As will all unique wonders, Mystagogues would be eager to study Light
and his unique form of soul alteration.
Free Council: On the whole, Libertines will most likely be the most neutral in their
response towards this new legacy. Those
who hunt the Abyss carry on a critical function in society, but it is a role
best used in the Adamantine Arrow or the Guardians of the Veil.
Banishers: Each small group or solo Banisher will receive a Bastion differently if
it goes beyond the first conflict.
Something in the blind fanaticism of Truthbringers against “evil mages” resonates
with the Banishers. But the
Truthbringers are a beacon of everything they hate and direct conflict is all
but inevitable regardless if the Banisher even knows how to touch the Abyss.
Scelesti: Most
Scelesti are in isolated pockets in the “wilderness” between Praxis. Any organized cult or global conspiracy (Such
as the remaining members of the order of Judas) may begin to spread rumors of a
mage-assassin taking out their numbers focused on an area of sporadically
across the United States as Light and any apprentices are tasked by the Arrow. It
goes without saying that the Truthbringers and the Acursed are aberrant to each
other. Both represent the antithesis of
the other and the Torchbearer’s ability to sniff out and discover Abyssal taint
almost instantly makes them extremely deadly to those of the dark. Those of the truth in the war of the rift
were made to hunt and kill agents of the Lie.
This also goes for any of the Mad who freely release paradoxes in their
destructive wake.
Appearance:
Light dresses in business casual or
very serviceable clothing, depending on the task at hand. It follows that most trained Truthbringers
will carry on this extremely practical mindset (shared by the Adamantine Arrow)
combined with the pride of the Warlocks and Obrimos to shine in very practical
and high-quality wear and accessories.
Organization:
As their currently is only the
Founder, light, as the sole creator and heir to the Legacy. Any new students and organization will follow
a very insular and small Master/Apprentice relationship. As their numbers grow they will most likely
break into independent actors, able to decentralize control and execution of
their sole objective: to destroy and suppress the Abyss and act against the Lie
in order to bring the Supernal light into the world. This organization will most likely be
flavored with the military structures for Light’s experience as a Talon in the
Arrow as well as a US Marine and US Army weapon’s contractor.
Suggested Oblations:
Oblations for
the Truthbringers fall into two categories which focus around scourging
(Mastigos flavored), cleansing (Obrimos flavored), Geotic demons (Mastigos
flavor combined with how the Legacy was formed) and transhuman calculations
(result of the Founder surviving the Nemesis
Continuum).
Scourging & Geotics– These Oblations focus on turning the light inwards through meditation,
travelling through one’s Onerios and reliving mistakes, combating one’s inner
demons through the use of Astral travel or Geotic magic, and reinforcing one’s
purpose through self-inflicted punishment.
This could also be done with another mage who consents to the inner
journey and could also be handled in Dreams instead of all the way in the
Astral.
Cleansing – These Oblations focus on expounding Supernal truths in the Fallen
World. Oblations may include purifying
the Resonance in locations (with help of Space magic and Prime) to include
Leylines, Nodes, Hallows, sites of Desecration, Abyssal Anomalies or localized
Paradox. They may also include tending
or creating symbols of the Supernal that won’t interfere with the Lie directly. This could be accomplished by creating areas
in which the Supernal is more plausible with magic or boosting Hallows. Destroying Abyssal effigies, items, or places
also fulfills the role of a cleansing Oblation.
Transhuman Calculations – As a result of surviving the Abyssal Meme, Light found himself with a
fair amount of obsessive compulsion to create or solve complex problems. This problem was further compounded by
Supreme Mental Augmentation spells and splitting the mind into many independent
processes. As a result, Oblations which
focus on solving or creating complex puzzles or riddles, creating, solving, or
correcting extremely complex mathematics to include quantum physics,
multi-dimensional trigonometry, or advanced calculus, and the creation of
Supernal proofs (which show how magic can work within the Fallen World) are all
common Oblations.
Legacy Oblation Roll: Attribute + Skill + Gnosis + Bonuses = Mana
obtained (Max = Gnosis). Action:
Extended 1 hour and can be done once per day.
Concepts: One against the Darkness, Abyssal
hunter, Geotic scourge, corrupted Nefrandi, religious zealot, abyssal
Mathematician, champion of the Supernal, secret agent, assassin, clean-up
manager.
Induction:
The initial way of becoming a Truthbringer
was accidental. By putting their abilities together Light and Daedalus found a
way to remove a virulent mental infection and separate it both spiritually and
physically from the mind of the victim.
In order to teach others and induce the same
soul modification in others Daedalus and Light created a Perfected metal core
with their combined alchemical smithery.
Into the core they poured the same spells that Daedalus used for the
separation of the Geotic Tulpa, part physical, part inner Astral space.
What else was placed inside the core is a
secret left for debate. Some may
speculate that they conducted an Abyssal summoning (see Summoners mage rulebook) and pulled a similar Abyssal incursion as
the Nemesis Continuum and placed it
into the core, marking Daedalus as a foe of the Legacy (none have been given a
chance to verify this). Others might
have said they used the pages with the Continuum
that Light found to bond the Abyssal aspect into this hunk of Supernal
materials. More Naïve mages who wish to
join the Legacy say that the induction core is the result of the special Geotic
spells contacting that part of a mage’s soul that still has a tiny bit of
Quiessence and bringing it forward.
Either way, this part of becoming a Truthbringer is shrouded in mystery
and if discovered may mark the Legacy as Left-Handed or even Abyssal.
((ST Warning: The induction process is
extremely dangerous and may result in death, soul loss, and possession by an
Abyssal entity! This is a Level 4 (High chance of failure) warning for
extremely powerful characters, Level 5 (Almost no chance of survival) for new
or veteran characters…))
The perfected induction core works like a
powerful immunization shot. Once an
initiate has reach a state of understanding in his Gnosis and Arcana and has
been ritually prepared by their teacher, the metal core is driven through the
mages heart For health reasons it would be best to have someone with Life magic
present for these proceedings to keep the initiative from dying of his wounds. For the second step the initiate must be able
to summon Holy Fire (Forces 3 + Prime 3).
Note on Holy Fire (Prime 3 + Forces 3)
The creation of Holy Fire is a closely
guarded secret among those who discovered it.
To the Truthbringers it is the first and best solution for dealing with
Abyssal beings that manifest in a way that they can simply be burned away. Celestial fire is effective at burning away
Abyssal taint but Holy fire adds a great deal of added bonuses. By combining magically generated mundane fire
with Celestial fire a Mage can create Holy Fire. It creates a burning pure white light that
acts as a Bane to nearly all Abyssal spirits.
The fire is considered Blessed
and does aggravated damage and can hurt incorporeal creatures as well as beings
in the Twilight or Shadow state if they can reasonably be perceived and
targeted. Creating Holy fire is an
improvised or super rare Rote spell that requires 2 Mana (for the combination
and base cost) and 1 willpower point to generate it. Not to be confused with Hellfire or the Pyros of
the Principle…
While the heart struggles to beat, the
spiritual center of a mage’s soul is assaulted by the Abyssal Geotic demon
inside themselves and tainted by the core.
The mind is also assaulted by the insane logic which they must correct. The mage is afflicted with memories of past
lives (as per Ancient Echoes Merit). If
the mage succeeds against the spiritual assault they call forth Celestial or
Holy Fire and bring it into their bodies.
This divine scourging inflicts burns and drives the Abyssal aspect out
of the mage, retreating back into the core.
In the process they modify their soul and obtain the Legacy.
Failure in this trial could have dire
consequences. Light did the impossible,
a fluke or loophole in the rules of the soul and the nature of the Abyssal
incursion. Where he came out a beacon of
the truth, others may fail and become irrevocably damaged.
Failed initiates will have to be dealt with,
destroyed with Holy fire before they can be loosed on the world. Any escapes may draw unwanted Order or local
Concillium attention. Initiation may
cause Integrity checks for those involved depending on the results. Shove a core into someone’s heart and
deliberately infecting someone with the Abyss may very well be breaking
points. Burning your friend’s body to
death because their soul got gobbled by the Mollusk god of the infinite mirrors
is definitely a breaking point.
Spreading the light to other’s souls is the
part of the Legacy that is dark and gritty.
These practices are very Left-Handed.
Sometimes in order to fight the Abyss and make the world a better place
you have to get your hands dirty.
Is there a way to do this without the
stabby? Perhaps a symbolic impalement
with the core can get the same effect.
Another thing to experiment with and may require a Space master to
co-locate the core into the heart in a way so that it does not cause damage.
Surviving a metal core to the heart, the scouring supernal fire, and the
black demon within is a herculean task. This
method has never been tested... it may be a good way to judge captured Scelesti
but if they succeed you now have unfortunate members.
Mechanics of Induction: (Draft)
The Staking:
Strength +
Weaponry– 3 Targeting – 1 Improvised Weapon = Damage + 0L Core (+Stamina w/
Mallet) Action: Instant, rolled until the core is placed into the heart. (A
willpower point adds +3 to this roll)
1.
Exceptional
Success: Target takes five Lethal Damage and Bleeding Condition in a single
blow. Not having to do multiple strikes
that waste precious blood and time is its own reward.
2.
Success:
Character makes progress towards staking the Target and must accumulate a total
of five successes. The target cannot begin
the next part in the ritual until the core is in place and starts the Bleeding
Condition (1 bashing per round) after getting three Lethal damage.
3.
Failure:
Character fails to stab his friend in the right place. The next attempt is at a cumulative -1 until
they succeed do to shaky hands and flinching (-5 Max). The target takes one Lethal damage anyway.
4.
Dramatic
Failure: The character fails to stab his target anywhere near the heart and
inflicts a Wound Tilt to the torso and three Lethal damage. There is a
30% chance the perfected core breaks open…
Shoving the
core through a mage’s heart without a mallet in requires a Strength + Weaponry
– 1 Improved Weaponry -3 for targeting the heart. Since the target is not resisting the staker
may take their time and apply a +3 to the aiming. The core has a base damage modifier of
+0L. The staker must succeed on an
Exceptional success to successfully drive the core through the heart. The
initiate must take at least five Lethal damage to get the core into the heart
and the initiate gains the Bleeding Condition which inflicts 1 Bashing damage
per round. If the striker needs to push
or reposition the core further they must roll Strength + Stamina with a
cumulative -1 penalty and make up the difference in successes, doing more
damage to the initiate. Adding a Mallet to the equation allows this stabbing
roll to add up to the staker’s dots in Stamina to the damage modifier of the
core in order to get the core in position faster. The staker must “call” how many dots of
stamina he is adding to the damage before the roll is made. Other rules in the God-Machine Chronicle book for pulling one’s punches may also be
applied.
A Mage able to
cast Life 3 “Healing Heart” can heal
the body of the initiate but the flesh will heal around the core and the heart
will distort around the foreign body.
The target will still have the Bleeding condition until the core is
removed due to internal tearing and bleeding as the heart struggles to beat
around the object. Other more advanced patternings
may be applied to these proceedings to reduce the risk to the initiative and
boosting Stamina is recommended. When
the core it taken out it automatically does three more Lethal damage, (meaning
a Mage with less than Nine Health Dots will instantly fall unconscious and
start bleeding out from the attempt assuming they take no damage from Bleeding
or the scouring fire. While Life spells
are encouraged, Light and Daedalus think that enhancing the Mind for what
follows is “cheating” and may prevent the desperation needed to alter the soul.
Roll for Consciousness:
Stamina – Wound Penalties; Action: Instant, rolled after each turn of the trial once the core is in the heart. (Spending a willpower point adds a +2 to this roll, All-out-attack cannot be used to boost the attempt. Magic could assist this process)
Stamina – Wound Penalties; Action: Instant, rolled after each turn of the trial once the core is in the heart. (Spending a willpower point adds a +2 to this roll, All-out-attack cannot be used to boost the attempt. Magic could assist this process)
1.
Exceptional
Success: The character does not have to roll to stay conscious the rest of the
trial
2.
Success: The
character retains focus and stays conscious despite having a core in his heart
for another turn. He will roll for
consciousness at the end of his next turn.
3.
Failure: The
Character falls unconscious and fails the rest of the trial. If the core is removed and the character
receives magical healing and mental treatment they will survive with a
permanent Condition (typically Bedlam, Branding, or other Abyssal Consumption)
1.
Dramatic
Failure: The Character falls unconscious and their soul may be consumed by the
Abyssal Geotic demon. Character becomes
infected by The Nemesis Continuum or
the Character becomes a Qlipoth. Success
on a single die grants the former.
Each roll made
to overcome the Geotic invader takes a very short amount of time (one turn or 3
seconds). Time flows slow in Astral
space and the fight that seems to take forever as the heart’s blood pours out
seems to last for hours. After each of
these specialized Willpower checks the staked Mage must roll Stamina penalized
by any wound penalties to stay conscious.
If the Mage loses consciousness any observers must move quickly to save
him from his wounds. If the core is
removed quickly enough the Mage may get by with a permanent Abyssal Brand,
Bedlam, or Consumption and may never be able to attempt the trial again. If the core was not removed quickly enough the
Character becomes a Qlipoth and their soul is lost to the Abyss forever.
Overcoming the Demon:
Resolve + Composure + Gnosis +- (Integrity
Check Modifier) – Abyssal Corruption (-1-5 Max) – Wound Penalties; Action:
Instant, rolled every turn after core is in place until success. (This roll
cannot be boosted by spending Willpower points)
2.
Exceptional
Success: The character makes a great amount of progress towards their goal of
obtaining successes equal to the character’s willpower dots. Add +3 to further rolls unless the character
fails a roll. Also add one automatic
success to any successful rolls (until a failure) including this one (6
successes). The automatic successes may
be accumulative if multiple Exceptional successes occur.
3.
Success:
Character makes progress in overcoming the Abyss within and without by
obtaining their goal of obtaining successes equal to the character’s willpower
dots.
4.
Failure:
Further rolls are at a cumulative -1 penalty until a success is obtained (-5
max) The Character makes no progress and continues to take Bleeding and Stamina
checks…
5.
Dramatic
Failure: The character fails the trail and the demon intrudes into their mind,
body and soul. Character becomes
infected by The Nemesis Continuum or
the Character becomes a Qlipoth. Success
on a single die grants the former.
The initiate
Mage focuses his will against the invading Abyssal presence. As the initiate suffers the Bleeding
Condition and possible Wound penalties he is assaulted by the Tulpa of the
false knowledge within the core. He must
succeed at rolling Resolve + Composure + Gnosis + modifier based on his
Integrity (+2 - -2) penalized by a penalty created by the Storyteller and based
on how many times the Mage has dabbled in the Abyss and how long ago these sins
occurred (maximum -5) and further penalized by any wound penalties.
Those who have
already obtained an Abyssal Legacy ( Shedu or Autark) (-8) will never succeed
these rolls and always die or become Qlipoths (see Left-Handed Path mage rulebook) and those who Befoul (The
Rabashakim) (-4) their magic or have signed onto an Abyssal reflection of a Watchtower
(Nasami) (-6) (See Tome of the Mysteries
mage rule book) are at a very high risk of failure.
The rolls against
the Geotic invader are cumulative and the Mage must succeed at obtaining
successes equal to his willpower dots. Then
they proceed to the final step.
The Scouring & Rarefying Fire:
The same time
the change is occurring a new type of task must be done (while still rolling
Stamina each round)). With the Abyssal
Logic at bay the mage must now burn taint out of their bodies, minds, and souls
forever, allowing them to become a beacon of Supernal light. Succeeding will drive the presence back into
the core along with whatever Abyssal touch they had within them.
The mage must
ritually burn themselves with Celestial Fire (Prime 3) or Holy Fire (Prime 4 +
Forces 4), bringing the fire into their bodies and souls. These rolls may be improvised spellcasting or
Rotes. For the sake of simplicity we
will show a roll with improvised magic.
1.
Celestial
fire: Gnosis + Prime (+2 High Speech) (+3 Willpower) – Stamina (-1-3
Description/Fire) (-2 willpower) =
Successes + Base Damage of Prime Arcana – Soaking Mage Armors. If the mage knows Prime 3 this damage is
automatically Bashing, Prime 4 Lethal, Prime 5 Aggravated. This damage cannot be avoided if the task is
to be complete. The mage needs to
self-inflict three damage to succeed in the scouring.
2.
Holy fire:
Gnosis + Highest Prime/Forces (+2 High
Speech) (+3 Willpower) – Stamina (-1-3 Description/Fire) (-2 willpower) = Successes + Base Damage of Prime Arcana –
Soaking Mage Armors. This damage Aggravated
and cannot be avoided. With Holy fire
the mage only needs to land a single point of damage to succeed in the
scouring.
3.
If the Mage
has ever Befouled their magic (Rabashakim) they automatically take 1 extra
Aggravated damage from these attempts.
Signed onto an Abyssal Watchtower (Nasami) they take 2 Aggravated damage
automatically with every burning.
Gaining the Legacy:
Then the Mage spends
a permanent willpower dot (8 Experience Points) to forth the change in his
soul. If the character is not in the
right mind frame or does not spend the cost or exertion of will they may come
out of the trial unchanged. Healing is
allowed through the process. The process
is complete after the character has removed the core and taken an Integrity
check.
If the Mage is
the Founder (Light) they must pay 8 experience points for each new Attainment
and must be at one higher Gnosis then required for the Founder’s students.
Note: So once
again, at a minimum the perfect and lucky Mage takes 5 Lethal damage for the
heart stabbing, 2 bashing for the turns to succeed and 1-3 Lethal damage for
the last bit. If he received healing he
takes 3 Lethal to remove the core. He
receives 1 Lethal to pull it out if he never received healing.
Removing the Core:
Strength + Stamina (+3 willpower point) – Wound Penalties = 1-3 successes/Lethal taken to remove. Action: Instant. This can be done in teamwork rolls and it does not have to be the mage who performed the trial.
Strength + Stamina (+3 willpower point) – Wound Penalties = 1-3 successes/Lethal taken to remove. Action: Instant. This can be done in teamwork rolls and it does not have to be the mage who performed the trial.
1.
Exceptional
Success: Target has the core removed very carefully in a way that it avoids all
damage from the removal. Bleeding
Condition still continues until the wound is healed up.
2.
Success: The
character makes progress in removing the core.
1 success is needed to remove an unhealed core, causing 1 Lethal
damage. 3 successes are needed to remove
a core that magic has caused the flesh to heal around and causes 3 Lethal
damage when removed.
3.
Failure: The
character does not make progress towards removing the core.
Breaking Points & Integrity:
Resolve + Composure +- (Integrity Check Modifier) – How bad it was (-1-5 Max) – Wound Penalties; Action: Instant, rolled at the end of the trial regardless of success or failure. (This roll cannot be boosted by spending Willpower points) Participants in the trial may have to make their own breaking points depending on how things go. The results follow the traditional Integrity check rules and Derangements are highly encouraged.
Resolve + Composure +- (Integrity Check Modifier) – How bad it was (-1-5 Max) – Wound Penalties; Action: Instant, rolled at the end of the trial regardless of success or failure. (This roll cannot be boosted by spending Willpower points) Participants in the trial may have to make their own breaking points depending on how things go. The results follow the traditional Integrity check rules and Derangements are highly encouraged.
More Badness: There are dark tales of those who failed at
similar trials and lost the ability to understand the Supernal truth. They became the Mad, plagued by Tulpas. Or they lost their souls, loosed Abyssal
Manifestations, got possessed, became Qlipoth, or received a dark shadow
reflection, Geotic demon, or evil doppelganger… the possibly when you play with
the Abyss are endless. This is a great
opportunity for story, possibly introducing other Abyssal incursions from the
rule books.
Primary Arcanum: Prime. Secondary: Space
Each Attainment allows the Legacy holder to improve
himself as a conduit for Aethereal energy which is the antithesis of the Abyss.
The attainments allow the supernal to tap into the Truthbringer. By forging his
soul further the Truthbringer becomes more of the supernal and less of the lie.
The
Attainments: (DRAFT ONLY, these use the old system...)
Lightbringer’s
Perception based effects: Some
applications of Prime and the Death Arcana allow the ability for Mages and
other beings to mask and suppress their Resonance and aura, hiding the damage
and tumors on their souls. Mages of this
Legacy do not have to DETECT their taint with his First Attainment to affect
them with his other abilities. He merely
needs to have them within his vision or periphery. Rather than assigning a range (say Gnosisx10
yard radius) it is better that when a holder of this Legacy and user of its
Attainments has a being in front of its light (shining upon them as if from
their nimbus or eyes, invisible though..) they are weakened by it. This can include very long ranges and even
Sympathetic Scrying. But if these attainments are active a being in hiding may
notice the sap on its power or discomfort from the light and try to triangulate
where the pain is coming from. Ambush
could be a possibility if they can hide their condition long enough to figure
out where this magical effect is coming from and then get close enough.
First Attainment: “Light in dark places” (Advanced Abyssal
Sight)
Requirements: (Gnosis 3
(4), Prime 3, Mind 2, Death 1)
Cost: None,
Passive and considered always on.
Effect: The Abyss has been burned free of you, for the first
time the world is clear. While you are free of the taint, it is most everywhere
you look. This Attainment
is a new form of specialized mage sight based on Supernal Vision (Knowing/Unveiling). The Mage has a persistent magical effect that
does not count against spell tolerance but cannot turn it off. This new sight only provides information
dealing with the Abyss and nothing else.
It allows a Mage to see any abyssal influences, such as creatures,
possessions, portals, spirits, and taint. The mage can see where Abyssal magic
was cast, if another Mage is tainted or addicted to the Abyss, and can event detect
paradox pooled in an area, backlash on a person, and any other result so vulgar
magic. Many of these effects are very subtle and require scrutiny to uncover.
Reflexive Attainment Roll: Composure +
Occult to detect Abyssal taint in an area.
1 success will show you any obvious or overt Abyssal Resonance such as
Abyssal spirits lurking in Twilight or a full blown Anomaly. More successes will allow you to ping on much
more subtle traces of the anti-reality.
Instant Scrutiny Roll: Intelligence +
Occult + 1 Abyss Sight = successes allow the Mage to further dig into the
layers of Abyssal resonance and further understand people, creatures, and
phenomena. As with all scrutiny,
supernatural beings will feel it and will roll perception to notice. Mundane people will notice you staring
intently as you focus. Scrutiny is
intrusive, the equivalent of rubbing your nose in something.
But you don’t go crazy! The light shined and the darkness did not overcome it. This Attainment might not seem like
much. Other mages have the means to
create a spell which allows them to study the taint of the Abyss. But the light shining in the Truthbringer’s
soul creates a protective filter for that observation. Where other mages will become infected or go
mad from scrutinizing Abyssal Resonance after a time, the Bastion is able to
understand and know the ways of the Abyss in such a way that they are shielded
from the insanity. This perhaps is a
product of overcoming the Abyssal meme.
This shielding is not full proof however, and it only works for aspects
of the sight and scrutiny. Against
telepathically connecting your mind to an Abyssal being it offers no
protection.
Optional
Additional Effect: “Darkness cannot bear the light” (Defense Boost)
Requirements: (Space 2)
Cost: 1 Mana to
activate, lasts a scene
Effect: The Abyss has been burned free of you. As you become more of the truth,
the Abyss can no longer track your movements with accuracy. You gain an effect
similar to Space 2 “Untouchable” which adds points of Defense equal to your
dots in Space that is always on where Abyssal creatures (Scelesti, acamoth, gulmoth,
etc.) are concerned. It does not count
against spell tolerance and this stacks with other armors, including the spell
version of Untouchable.
Untainted beings do not notice the
distortions in the Mage’s pattern and have no trouble hitting him without the
Defense bonus.
Second Attainment: “Rebuke the Darkness” (Debuff)
Requirements: (Gnosis 5 (6), Prime 4)
Roll: Wits + Composure – multiple targeting
penalties = to spot and keep eyes on them.
Cost: 1 Willpower point per scene
As the Supernal fire grows inside the
darkness draws back in fear. The light within becomes a radiance that lights
the world around you. Anything touched by the Abyss shrinks in your presence.
While the source of the light is not obvious,
any abyssal touched being in perception range of the Mage (works the magical
perception, not mundane i.e. video camera/ telescope) takes the Mage’s dots in Prime Arcanum in negative
modifiers for every action it takes. (I.E. prime 4 adds a -4 modifier to all
rolls that being makes. While this does not stack for multiple Truthbringers,
it does take the highest prime in the area for it.
This combined with the first attainment makes
the Truthbringers extremely good at destroying Abyssal entities and Tainted
Mages. Abyssal mages cannot dispel this
effect and cannot perceive it.
This
effect only affects the tainted, regular mages typically don’t notice without
specific subtle scrutiny (Scrutiny Successes = Gnosis to detect) Abyssally tainted beings also have a hard
time spotting where this effect is coming from and the Truthbringer and suffer
the same penalty to detect. Scrutiny
requires an action turn, taking up precious time in combat.
Optional
Additional Effect: “No Respite for the Wicked” (Space Ban)
Requirements: (Space 3)
Cost: One Mana
per Scene added to the main Attainment cost.
Roll: Wits + Composure – multiple targeting
penalties = to spot and keep eyes on them.
The perception area of the Bastion becomes
spacially fixed to any with the Abyssal Taint. These acts as the Space 2 spell
“Space Ban” and the Space 3 effect “Ward.”
Any entities attempting to use Space magic, Numina, or Influences to
effect the spacial landscape (including themselves) must overcome the Bastions
dots in the Space Arcanum in order to succeed as if they were overcoming a
Space Ban. This effect does not deplete
unless specifically targeted by spells that can work against the non-spell
magical effect.
This
effect only affects the tainted, regular mages typically don’t notice without
specific subtle scrutiny (Scrutiny Successes = Gnosis to detect) Abyssally tainted beings also have a hard
time spotting where this effect is coming from and the Truthbringer and suffer
the same penalty to detect. Scrutiny
requires an action turn, taking up precious time in combat.
Third Attainment: “Shine Down” (Reversed Paradox)
Requirements: (Gnosis 7 (8), Prime 5)
Roll: Wits + Composure – multiple targeting
penalties = to spot and keep eyes on them.
Cost: 1 Mana & 1 Willpower Point per
Scene
You have become a true exemplar of the
supernal in the fallen world. The inner fire you have been cultivating has grown
to the point where the abyss’s exemplars feel the touch of the supernal on
their works. By being within perception range of the Mage (works the magical
perception, not mundane i.e. video camera/ telescope) any abyssal touched entity feels a form of “Supernal
Paradigm” acting as paradox on their works. Any Abyssal touched Magic or (Spirits use rank as their base “Paradox” pool) numen
used in your presence is vulgar. Each Awakened around you adds to this, acting
as a sleeper witness (+2 to Supernal Paradigm +2 Max), compounding their error.
New System: Supernal Paradigm:
LightBringers pull down the Supernal truth
which acts against the Abyss. For this
mechanic simply have any spells or magical abilities used by Abyssally Tainted
creatures become “Vulgar.” The base pool
for Supernal Paradigm (Reverse Paradox) starts with the first being to use a
magical ability and starts with their Gnosis or Rank to determine the starting
pool. They can soak the backlash as Resisted Bashing Damage or let the Paradox
occur. It pools in an area like regular
Paradox, canceling it out.
But it’s not a Paradox, it’s a Truth released
into reality. Havocs, Brandings,
Bedlams, Anomalies, and Manifestations are all reversed to exemplify Supernal
truths. An Anomaly may cause Celestial
fires to start in the area. A
Manifestation may summon an Seraphim or Cherubim from the Aether (see Summoners mage rulebook) or whatever
beings from what everr Path they are.
These creatures attack the Abyss.
Any non-tainted mages add +2 to the Supernal Paradigm being enforced in
the area. It pools like regular
paradox.
If there is already Paradox in the area the
Paradigm first must cancel it out by tainted beings using powers. Then the Paradigm mounts, canceling out all
Paradox in the area which the Legacy member can maintain visual on the targets. This creates a tug of war effect between
untainted Mages using actual Vulgar magic and Tainted beings adding to the
Supernal Paradigm instead. The pooled
Paradigm dissipates at the end of the scene like regular Paradox.
Regular mages will notice this effect... and
it’s pretty spectacular on a mystical level, the mage’s Nimbus glows like the
sun under Mage Sights only.
Optional Additional Effect: “Light Dispels the
Darkness” (Paradox Reduction)
Requirements: (Space 4)
Cost: 1 Mana per
Scene added to the regular Attainment cost.
You subtract your dot in the Space Arcanum
from the Pooled Paradox currently in the area of an area you perceive. This
affects all vulgar castings, but cannot bring the paradox below a chance die. It definitely helps bring the Paradox pool
down so that Supernal Paradigm can build up!
Strategically you would want to wait until
the Paradox builds slightly so you can cancel it down. If you do it in an area with no paradox
pooled up then the effect is completely wasted.
Wait a Minute! Who Are the Tainted?
We have used a lot of terms for those beings
who are Abyssal or have been touched deeply by the Abyss but there can be
plenty of wiggle-room. So which nasty
things are affected by the Attainments of the Lightbringers? It could be the difference between life and
death. With his Abyssal sight, usually a
Bastion is able to tell who is Tainted enough to be affected by his abilities. This is a highly-specific combat Legacy that
loses all of its effectiveness again non-tainted targets. The Tainted may not
be “bad” people, just got into a bad situation.
Further scrutiny slowly reveals the nature of their crime in a
non-specific categorical manner. It’s up
to the Bastion to decide who is guilty and who can be saved. The Tainted can use their abilities and make
others tainted with active effects.
The nature of the Attainments are pretty much black and
white. It either works on them or it
doesn’t. But still, this Legacy is new
and there may be much that we still do not know about it. What happens when a Truthbringer starts
working against the truth or is damaged by deep Tainted affects? Could they lose their powers or are they
immune? For the Truthbringers usually if
the Legacy holder takes a direct willful action to become tainted or is defined
by the darkness they face makes all the difference regarding how the light
shining down could be twisted into something awful. The Torchbearers are not immune to taint of
the Abyss and are in the front line of dealing with its incursion. There may be casualties of this war.
Below is a quick list of Tainted that may or
may not be affected by the Legacy’s Attainments:
1. Affected & Detected “The
Tainted”
a. Abyssal Creatures
i.
Imps
ii.
Gulmoth
iii.
Acamoth
iv.
Qlipoth
v.
Abyssal Incursions
vi.
Beings of the Gate
vii.
Annunaki (Greater Abyssal Gods) – May be able to
ignore…
b. Scelesti
i.
The heirs of Kith
ii.
Rabashakim (Befoulers of magic) – Unless
renounced for a year and a day
iii.
Nasami (Path Sinners) – unless
renounced forever and now clean
iv.
Shedim (Shedu) (Orthodox Scelesti
Legacies)
v.
Autraks (Sole Unique Legacies)
vi.
Baalim (The Scelesti Masters)
vii.
Aswadim (Scelesti Archmasters)
c. Abyssal Spirits, Ghosts, or other incorporeal forms Manifest, in Twilight,
or Shadow.
d. Spells that are Abyssally influenced and or may have run amock
e. Abyssal Spirits, Ghosts, or other incorporeal forms riding on a person,
the Urged, the Possessed, or the Ridden.
f.
Geotic demons of abyssal taint, Abyssal knowledge such as the
Nemesis Continuum, Abyssal memes, etc.
g. Any open Abyssal entity that is manifested in a way that can be seen or
felt
h. Any Abyssally tainted location
i.
A Mage who has summoned an Abyssal
entity or Manifestation by Paradox
within a year and a day but accident or design
j.
Any mage that has an active Manifestation
still going on
k. Any mage with an active Abyssal
effect on them, regardless of desire.
This can quickly turn friends into foes but usually does not affect
other Bastions.
l.
Any mage who has an active Branding or Bedlam
m. Any mage with ongoing Abyssal
sickness or consumption
n. Any mage who has traveled to the In-Between
within a year and a day
o. Any mage that has created an Abyssally tainted soul stone
p. Any mage that has used an Abyssally
tainted weapon within a year and a day
q. Any mage who has made any kind of a
bargain with an Abyssal entity within a year and a day or is still ongoing
r.
Any mage who has had an Acamoth ride his soul into the Abyss
within a year and a day
s. Any Sleeper or Sleepwalker under an active Abyssal ability or effect
2. Detected but not Affected “The
Touched”
a. Any Mage who has created a full blow Paradox within a week is detected but not affected
b. Any level of Paradox pooled
in an area can be detected easily, if it dissipated after a week it is hard to
tell how high it got
c. Any Mage who suffers from unhealed Backlash
from paradox, can still tell for a week
d. Any Anomaly that occurred can
be detected if it occurred in the last year and a day
e. Any mage who has had a Bedlam or
Branding within a year and a day
f.
Any mage that suffers from allergic reactions to the Abyss
g. Any mage that has touched an Abyssal
object
h. Any mage who has had an Abyssal entity contact them in their Dreams or Onerious (Acamoth)
i.
Any mage who suffers from soul damage or Integrity loss caused by
an Abyssal event is on the thin line…
*Remember, this list in not all inclusive and
at the end of the day it is up to the Storyteller to make the call between
whether or not the combatants are affected by the Legacy’s powers.
Idea: Heretical offshoot that twist the Legacy
towards the Abyss. The scorching
unfiltered light of the Supernal could be used to strength the Lie and the
Abyss instead of fighting it. Corruption
and oily burning rays… "Deus Sol Invictus!"
What happened to Light: In 2013, Light descended into an old Scelesti lab in the sub-basement of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In an act of horrible betrayal, the Guardians and Arrows on location filled the passage with concrete and trapped Light down in the lab. For two years Light grappled with an Abyssal infection of the Nemesis Continium and eventually succummed to madness. Before his death he recorded his Legacy in a Daimonoptikon that was recovered by the Sacred Realms Cabal in 2016.
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