[Mage: The Awakening 2e] Paradox v2.1 Mechanics

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

PARADOX version 2.1

When Reach exceeds Grasp
 

Paradox in 2nd Edition makes paradox less of an exercise of mana and resistant bashing damage and more a wild dangerous thing worthy of fear and respect the Abyss deserves...  I don't want to make the game ridiculously harder but we have only had one or two actual paradoxes and I have been running this game since 2010... and the results aren't even all that bad.  Paradox is supposed to be a key theme and part of the game, a constant worry, and its really more of an inconvenience.  That is why we made some adjustments.

Everything stays the same up until after paradox is rolled.  You get your successes that normally would be absorbed as backlash.  But what if the act of absorbing paradox required you to face madness and unpredictable results?  Sure if you keep the risk low its unlikely this will get out of hand.  It is a serious boon to use mana to bring the pool down to nothing, like any sane mage would do... and mana is much harder to come by now...

Rules for Version 2.1 of Paradox! Changes are in RED.  We brought back a mechanic for Pooled Paradox from out last Chronicle but kept all the goodness of non-pooled paradox.  We also made tweaks to how Paradox penalizes spells and added more Abyssal Tilts and Conditions.  Hopefully the changes will help bring out the best aspects of what Paradox represents in Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition by solidifying it with strong mechanics.

Sources:

- Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition corebook

- Mage: The Awakening 1st Edition corebook
- Tome of the Mysteries sourcebook for Mage: The Awakening 1e
- Deadlands 20th Anniversary Edition corebook
- Hucksters & Hexes sourcebook for Deadlands
- Original Paradox 2.0 rules here

As a mage envisions her spell’s imago and determines spell factors, she runs the risk of complicating her spell to the point of warping it into a Paradox or drawing down more power than she can safely control. Once a spell’s factors have been determined, but before the spell is actually cast, the Storyteller determines if a Paradox occurs. Paradox dice are commonly added by Reaching further than the free Reach granted by skill in the Arcanum used for the spell — each Reach beyond those adds Paradox dice according to Gnosis.

Once a single Paradox die is added to the Paradox dice pool, the Storyteller must check for the possibility of a Paradox, even if other factors reduce the Paradox dice pool to a chance die. The dice pool can be modified by certain factors:

Paradox Pool Situational Modifiers

• +Gnosis Mod per Overreach - Special The mage has Reached beyond the free Reach granted by Arcanum. This adds the dice amount listed for the character’s Gnosis for every Reach over the limit.
• + Localized Ambient Paradox Accumulation (LAPA) - This is current Pool of Paradox within the scene location, this value normally is +0 and increases by +1 for every paradox Reach rolled by the Storyteller  and released as an Havoc or Environmental Tilt. The LAPA effects every spell that Risks Paradox in a given scene. Areas that generally have a higher starting Paradox accumulation may start the base LAPA in a range of +1 to +3 (+1 for long-term Abyssal Environmental Tilts, +2 for Abyssal Verges and +3 for Qlipoth Nightmare Realms and travel in the Abyss itself).  If a mage chooses to contain the current Paradox, any Paradox Reach that results are not added to the LAPA.  If a Abyssal Manifestation occurs, the LAPA is set back to its original level before any Vulgar spells were cast in the scene.
• +2 Inured - If the mage is Inured to the spell, so that it no longer risks Wisdom loss
• +1 Accumulation - Each Paradox roll after the first made for the same caster within the same scene. This bonus accumulates with each roll, so the third roll made for the caster within a scene has a +2 modifier.
• +1 Sleeper Witnesses - One or more Sleepers witness an obvious casting of magic.  Remember dice tricks based on how many Sleeper Witnesses there are may need to be applied (8s again, 9s again, Rote)
• +1 Caster's Common/+2 Inferior Arcana - If the spell that Risks Paradox uses a mage's Common or Inferior Arcana as the main component or part of a Combined Spell, it risks more Paradox than a Ruling Spell.
• –2 Dedicated Tool - The mage uses a dedicated magical tool as a Yantra during the casting. A mage can only use a one Dedicated Tool per spell which they cast.  In teamwork spellcasting each mage must deal with their own Paradox pool individually but if one mage chooses to release their Paradox, any Paradox Reach that changes the spell effects the entire spell instead of just a portion of it.
• –1 Mana Absorption - The mage spends a point of Mana (for rules see below on limits) to charge lubricate the spell's passage through the Abyss so that it is not corrupted
• +Special Conditions - Certain Conditions affecting the mage may also modify the Paradox dice pool, especially Abyssal and Paradox Conditions.

Mana

A mage may reflexively spend Mana to mitigate the chance of a Paradox, removing one Paradox die per Mana spent in this manner. The mage cannot spend more Mana then she is normally allowed to spend per turn — including the amount of Mana that is spent for the spellcasting itself — though she can spend the Mana over multiple turns prior to casting the spell. 

Sleeper Witnesses
Multiple Sleeper witnesses do not add Paradox dice, but increase the chances of a Paradox occurring. If a few Sleepers witness the magic casting, the Paradox roll gains the 9-Again quality, a large group grants the Paradox roll the 8-Again quality, and a full crowd grants the Paradox roll the rote quality.  Also consider what having Sleeper Witnesses around means.

Localized Ambient Paradox Accumulation (LAPA)
That's right, Pooled Paradox is back baby! But only is specific cases. Paradox can and does gather in an local area within the bounds of a scene (roughly about 2-3 acres if you really need that).  Paradox accumulates radiating outwards from the casters of magic and not the subject of a given spell.  This only happens when a mage releases a Paradox instead of containing it and an Anomaly results. This accumulation goes some way to explain how Abyssal Verges and other environmental Anomalies take root in the Fallen World.  Paradox can be more intense (starting with a higher modifier to the Paradox Dice Pool) in an area due to these types of phenomena.  Such areas frequently have objects or subjects with Abyssal Resonance (Resonate or Open Condition) that may even be the cause of the LAPA being higher in an area.

The LAPA is the baseline Paradox dice pool shared by all spellcasters in the scene or area. At the end of a Scene (or approximately one hour) the LAPA decreases back to normal ambient levels (usually +0) over the course of the scene conforming to a half-life curve.  During combat the normal Paradox dispersal between Vulgar spells is not significant enough to be observable.  The LAPA climbs in combat and doesn't go down at all.  It doesn't go back to normal until the end of the scene unless the Storyteller wishes to employ the decrease narratively.

Since LAPA can increase by every Paradox Reach used to create Havocs and Abyssal Environmental Tilts this creates a whole host of issues in magical combat against mages who have no qualms about releasing Paradox. If Paradox climbs high enough it can become as harmful at attack spells. In a battle between two or more mages the combatants must be conscientious of the rising paradox.  As desperation mounts the tendency is to start reaching and reaching to destroy the threat as quickly as possible which spikes the Paradox levels for the purpose of short-term gains.  Already taking damage, mages will hesitate to contain Paradox so they can stay healthy on sharp but containing Paradoxes is the only way to keep the LAPA levels from growing. Higher LAPA may mean it's harder for the enemy to blast you away, but it also inhibits allies from also using powerful spells.  LAPA is especially a problem when the enemy is Scelestus or low wisdom mage who has no qualms raising the LAPA level because they always release the effects.  Since Paradox Reach does not impede spellcasting like in the corebook there are fewer practical reasons for low wisdom mage to accept the consequences of their spells.  This is part of what makes Left-Handed, Scelesti, Mad, and Banishers so scary.  They can break reality as a side-effect of their magic and have little reason to pay the bill that comes due.

The Decision: Release or Contain?

Before the Paradox dice pool is rolled, the mage must decide whether to contain the Paradox within her own soul and patternl or release it and hope for the best. If she attempts to contain it, she will potentially suffer pain and injury — or worse effects — as the Abyss warps her very being, ravaging their pattern with the anomalous magic. If she does not contain it, she will be safer, but the Paradox may warp her spell and raise the ambient Paradox. Containing a Paradox is completely voluntary, and a mage cannot be forced to do so.  Releasing Paradox is a release of responsibility and consequences in a way.  No matter what, released Paradox never directly harms the caster, making it an appetizing option when you in a pinch.  The possibility of avoiding painful Backlash or mental torment makes this all the more enticing.  Releasing Paradox is a Wisdom Sin at the High/Enlightened Wisdom Level (Wisdom 8-10).

Releasing Paradox

If the mage does not attempt to contain the Paradox, the Storyteller rolls the Paradox pool:

 Paradox Dice Pool Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The mage does not invoke a Paradox, regains a point of Willpower, and the next Paradox roll made for her in the same scene does not suffer the usual, cumulative +1 dice modifier.

Failure: The mage does not invoke a Paradox.

Success: A Paradox occurs, regardless of the spellcasting’s success or failure.  Successes penalize the spellcasting roll as well as creating the Paradox effect.  Successes DO NOT penalize the spellcasting roll but create Paradox Reach which can be spent using the table below.  Spellcasting is only Penalized by the final Paradox Reach if the caster chooses to contains the Paradox.  Again, releasing Paradox is a Wisdom Sin at the High/Enlightened Wisdom Level (Wisdom 8-10) and this is rolled after the Paradox Reach is used.  The mage sees the consequences (or lack thereof) of choosing to forgo responsibility and allowing Paradox into the Fallen World and this could potentially add or subtract dice (no more than 3 subtracted or added) from the roll based on how bad the Anomaly is, how the caster feels about doing so and the Vices and Virtues that might have motivated the decision.

Exceptional Success: The mage gains a Paradox Condition (anyway) and a Paradox Anomaly occurs.

If a single success is rolled on the Paradox dice, a Paradox occurs. The Abyss taints the spell and, potentially, the area around the spell’s subject. The Paradox imposes a dice penalty to the spellcasting roll equal to its successes. Whether or not this makes the spell fail, a Paradox anomaly occurs. If the spellcasting results in a dramatic failure, the mage incurs a Paradox Condition as well.

Paradox Reach Table
Successes on the Paradox roll grant the ST Reach to inflict the following:

• 1 Reach: Havoc Paradox: Undo or apply a single Reach from the Common Reach Effects list except for Casting Time.  Increases the LAPA by 1 point with or without additional  Paradox Reach spent caused by the same Paradox roll. It does not stack with additional Paradox Reach spent on Havoc within a single Paradox roll.  It does stack with additional Havocs within the same Scene.
Usual Reach Effects include: Changing the primary spell factor, Move a spell factor from Standard to Advanced, If at Advanced Duration, allow the spell to reach indefinite, Duration, If at sensory range, allow the mage to cast on a subject she is viewing remotely or Sympathetically (w/ Space 2).

• 1 Reach: Havoc Paradox:  Impose a Paradox Condition on the caster. Impose a Condition on the subject of the spell.   Increases the LAPA by 1 point with or without additional  Paradox Reach spent caused by the same Paradox roll. It does not stack with additional Paradox Reach spent on Havoc within a single Paradox roll.  It does stack with additional Havocs within the same Scene.
• 2 Reach: Havoc Paradox: Change the subject of the spell.   Increases the LAPA by 1 point with or without additional  Paradox Reach spent caused by the same Paradox roll. It does not stack with additional Paradox Reach spent on Havoc within a single Paradox roll.  It does stack with additional Havocs within the same Scene.
• 3 Reach: Environmental Anomaly: Create an Abyssal/Paradox Environmental Tilt (see examples below).  Creating a Abyssal Environmental Tilt does not reduce LAPA and instead increases LAPA per Abyssal Tilt in the same scene. At the start of a new scene the LAPA dissapates to a standing +1 LAPA until the Tilt elapses and vanishes.
• 5 Reach: Paradox Manifestation: A small crack in reality allows an Intruder Abyssal entity, usually a Gulmoth. The Abyssal entity is Rank 2. Further Reach may increase the Rank of the entity by 1 Rank per additional Reach.  When a Manifestation occurs the Paradox Accumulation is reduced by the amount of Reach used to create the Manifestation. 
• 6 Reach: Create a permanent Abyssal Verge.  Doing so reduces the local Pooled Paradox Accumulation by 6 points.

To create an Anomaly (general term for a Paradox effect other than a Paradox Condition) , the Storyteller utilizes the number of successes gained on the Paradox roll as Reach on a one to one basis to affect the spell. The Storyteller can use Paradox Reach to change the spell factors of the spell, to create Abyssal taint on the environment, or to summon an Abyssal entity. Storytellers can spend Reach however they like to affect the spell, using up all the Reach to warp the spell into something very different from what the mage intended, or leaving the spell as-is and instead producing Abyssal wastelands around the spell’s subject. The Paradox effect should reflect the type of spell being cast.

Attack spells may rebound and hit an innocent subject, or split and hit multiple subjects. Healing spells may heal the subject, but create a blighted patch on the ground nearby. A mage may succeed in making herself invisible, but summon a Gulmoth in her wake.

Anomaly Duration

A Paradox anomaly’s duration depends on the Wisdom tier of the caster who invokes it.

Wisdom          | Paradox

Enlightened     | One Scene

Understanding | One Chapter/Day

Falling             | One Story/Month

Mad                 | One Chronicle/One Year

Containing Paradoxes

If the mage decides to contain the Paradox within her soul The current Paradox Reach penalizes the Spellcasting roll.  The only way to avoid this penalty is to voluntarily take the Paradox condition up front, before Wisdom is even rolled for Backlash. The mage gains the Tilt: Abyssal Affliction (see below), which lasts the rest of the scene.  The Tilt's effects is selected by the Storyteller between the Mage's Path, Legacy and Vice.

The mage then contests the Paradox roll by rolling the character’s Wisdom dots as a dice pool, against the Paradox Reach. Each success on the Wisdom roll cancels out one success on the Paradox roll. Each Paradox success canceled out in this way deals one resistant bashing wound to the mage (This is called Paradox Backlash).  Paradox Containment rolls may not be modified by Willpower, magic, or other means. If the Paradox roll still has surplus Paradox Reach, it does not create an anomaly as with released Paradoxes. Instead, the character gains a Paradox Condition. The severity of the Paradox Condition is based on the number of remaining successes gained on the Paradox roll after Backlash. Paradox Reach gained by rolling the remaining Paradox dice pool does not add to the LAPA as with released Paradox.  The Reach is absorbed by the caster to create the Paradox Conditions.

Paradox Backlash - Wisdom to Mitigate Paradox Reach Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: Take an Arcane Beat.  The mage gains a Paradox Condition at full potency and and full Potency Anomaly also occurs using the Paradox Reach.  The LAPA also increases by the unmodified Paradox Reach.

Failure: The mage fails to reduce the effects of the Paradox Reach and takes a Paradox Condition at full potency.

Success: The mage mitigates the number of Paradox Reach equal to the successes on the Wisdom Roll.  The mitigated Paradox Reach is converted into Resistant Bashing Damage.  Any remaining Paradox Reach is converted into Paradox/Abyssal Conditions.  These can be scoured out of the Pattern by a specialized Pattern Scouring in which the Paradox Condition's potency (previously the same amount of Paradox Reach) is converted into Resistant Lethal Damage.  This Paradox Scouring does not provide the mage with any Mana.

Exceptional Success: The mage gains a WIllpower Point and converts all Paradox Reach into Resistant Bashing Damage.  The Personal Paradox pool is reduced by -5.

Paradox Conditions

Paradox Conditions can only be gained in one of the following ways — obtaining a dramatic failure when casting a spell after incurring a Paradox, netting an exceptional success on a released Paradox roll, or failing to fully contain a Paradox. Each event has two resolution mechanics. The first requires the character to actively accept the negative consequence of the Paradox, and the other is to allow the Paradox to lapse in duration.

Duration (Lapsing)- A Paradox Condition lapses after an amount of time determined by the character’s Wisdom if she does not take action to resolve the Condition. Until the Condition is resolved or lapses, the mage cannot use mana to mitigate the effects of the Paradox and magic cannot be used to mitigate the condition's effects directly.

Wisdom             | Duration of Paradox Condition

Enlightened        | One Story/Month

Understanding    | One Chapter/Day

Falling                | One Scene

Mad One            | One Turn

 If the Paradox Condition is allowed to lapse, the Abyss enters the mage’s Pattern. While the Abyss is part of the mage’s Pattern, it appears in her Nimbus. Every spell she casts is tainted by the Abyss and gains a Paradox die even if she does not attempt to Reach as part of the spell. Conditions that resolve this way grant an Arcane Beat. At this point, the only way for the mage to remove the taint from her Pattern is to Scour it out, similar to Pattern Scouring for Mana as described. Removing a Paradox Condition in this manner deals a single point of Resistant lethal damage to the mage,  for each Paradox Success that created the Condition.  The mage does not gain Mana from the Scouring and can the Scour each Paradox Reach one wound at a time.  Since Lethal takes a day to heal and most Paradox Conditions lapse by then it is usually better to wait it out if you do not Scour it out all at once.

APPENDIX I: Abyssal Environmental Tilts

Reality cracks open and something impossible takes place. The area affected is usually a radius around the caster of 20 yards per dot of the highest Arcanum used in the spell that invokes the Paradox. Anomalies are not affected by Dissonance.

The important thing about Environmental Anomalies is that they’re unpredictable. The Storyteller chooses their effects and defines the rules on how they affect the area and/or characters. Examples are provided below based on the invoker’s Path realm, but they’re just that — examples. Storytellers should get creative and strive to confound the caster’s expectations, even using different criteria than Path realms. Note that if two or more Paradox Anomalies from different Path realms are caused in the same area during the same scene, their effects combine. If the same Path realm causes more than one Anomaly in the same area in the same scene, its effects are worsened.

The Storyteller should look at the spell's intent when designing the Tilt.  You can choose ideas below based on the Arcana used, the Path of the Caster, or a host of other situational or location considerations.  Ideas below are not comprehensive and if the ST cannot decide over a handful they should roll a die or pick randomly.  Usually each Tilt creates a signal effect or theme for a collection of effects.  Effects may also shift and change unpredictably or follow patterns and cycles. If the ST needs some strength levels to play with they can use a handful of effects or dice penalties based on the Spell's Potency, the caster's Gnosis divided by two rounded down for homogenous effects or the dot rating of the spell or caster's Arcanum.  Designing these are an art form.  The effects should matter and the characters in the area should have to pay attention to or be often affected by the Tilt's design without being too uniquely antagonistic.  A Tilt should feel like something the PCs are worried about but should not feel like the Abyss is singling out the Cabal in particular.

Abyssal Verges: 

Perhaps it lives. Without exception, an Abyssal Verge is a tendril for one of the great anti-gods/realms called Annunaki, which sheds Acamoth like microbes falling from a great beast, sends Gulmoth to investigate whatever pulled it through, or conjures other unclassifiable intruders. Even in a Verge, ordered reality repels Annunaki, so they only send such entities occasionally. There’s no system for this, but the Storyteller shouldn’t overdo it. The environment disconnects from nature; stones scream and water flows uphill. This applies a –2 penalty to Skill rolls that depend on a knowledge of natural laws. Abyssal Verges don’t supply the usual benefits but instead provide +2 dice to Gnosis rolls to invite Paradox into a spell the way Scelesti do. Scelesti with powers allowing them to summon Abyssal beings also enjoy a +2 bonus. An Abyssal Verge may be used to join a Scelestus Legacy, though details are left up to the Storyteller. An Abyssal Demesne is the sort of risky idea even Scelesti might think twice about. Unlike other Demesnes, an Abyssal one is not insulated from visiting entities. All of the above benefits apply. Unfortunately, the soul stone now belongs to the Verge’s ruling Annunaki, which may destroy, move, or transform it as its inscrutable desires dictate.

Examples of Abyssal Environmental Tilts: Effect potencies are created using the creator Mage's Gnosis divided by 2 rounded down.

1. Aetherian Anomalies

• Forces
• 1. Crazy Weather - A perpetual storm occurs, weather is always aggravated here or hail rains from an empty sky. Applying Environmental Tilts the same as Forces 2 "Control Weather."
• 2. Gravity Distortions - Applying the same mechanics as Forces 2 "Control Gravity"
• 3. Radiation Leakage - Applying Extreme Environmental Tilts
• 4. Electronic Jamming - loss of wifi, phone, radio or other specific or generic electromagnetic transmissions.  The EM spectrum is so cluttered or insulated that technology doesn't work correctly or you can't get a signal into or out of the area.
• 5. Electronics break, power surges and other amplification or dampening of energy types and sources.  Arcs of electricity may conduct through insulated objects or anything connected to the power grid might spray bolts of lightning from it.
• 6. Ambient area hotter/colder than normal - Applying Extreme Environmental Tilts
• 7. Utter Silence or super amplified noise - bonuses, penalties and Conditions or Tilts relating to Perception and/or Deafness
• 8. Space spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Space spells immediately lose two potency.
• Prime
• 1. Mana cannot be drawn from any Hallow or object in the area or Mana and Tass are corrupted, causing Mana Bleed or Inflected Mana Conditions.  Tass may be rendered inert or won't solidify correctly.
• 2. Resonance is altered negatively, permanently and all mana carries a putrid Resonance
• 3. Anti-magic fields - Similar effects as Prime 5 "Blasphemy" 
• 4. Inverse of platonic forms in objects, symbols corrupted - reducing equipment bonuses and or mounting penalties
• 5. Increased ambient Paradox further than +1
• 6. Bubbles of area and objects are warded against magic - similar to Prime 2 "Wards and Signs." 
• 7. Death spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Death spells immediately lose two potency.
• 8. Spells may always risk paradox or can only be released or contained

2. Arcadian Anomalies

• Time
• 1. Powerful sense of Déjà vu, people must succeed a willpower roll to not compulsively repeat the same task again and again.  The roll is contested by the Gnosis/2 rounded down used to make the effect.  If they fail they are trapped in the loop for a scene unless they spent a willpower point to make another check and act normally for a round.
• 2. Inside the Anomaly is a Reverse Fairy Glade, you lose time, moving in slow motion. Or…Inside time speeds up so fast it is hard to track.  Normal time is either multiplied or divided by the Gnosis/2 rounded down by the mage that created the area.
• 3. Objects, people and things randomly suffer from Chronos Curse or Acceleration
• 4. Forces spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Forces spells immediately lose two potency.
• Fate
• 1. Dice rolls suffer from the “Reverse-Rote” effect. Successes are rerolled and the lower result is taken.
• 2. Changelings and Faeries have their Pacts and Oaths altered temporarily.  Fate magic may malfunction along a theme.
• 3. Random bits of bad luck, objects taken from Anomaly are under the Monkey’s Paw or other Fate effects associated with the spell.  Various Skill Tricks may manifest (no 8s, no 9s, 1s subtract successes, no 10s again, 
• 4. Prime spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Prime spells immediately lose two potency.

3. Pandemonian Anomalies

• Space
• 1. Navigation, people tend to get lost easily in this place, despite how easy the intervening space appears to be (penalties to survival rolls to travel through
• 2. Distances are multiplied in the Anomaly
• 3. Objects sometimes roll uphill or sideways
• 4. Holes are ripped into other places, such as an unstable Iris or Abyssal Verge
• 5. Bonuses to Intruder Manifestations, sometimes Abyssal, sometimes aligned with other beings associated with where the area is touching now.
• 6. Pockets of the area or the entire area suffer under specialized Bans as per Space 3 "Ban"
• 7. Areas are Warded as per Space 2 "Ward"
• 8. Matter spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Matter spells immediately lose two potency.
• Mind
• 1. Repressed emotions plague the mind (penalties to social or mental rolls)
• 2. people lose time, losing access to long (failures or penalties on Intelligence + Resolve rolls to remember) or short term memory (forced to make remembering rolls when events just happened)
• 3. People become disoriented easily, befuddled
• 4. Penalties to mental skills/rolls
• 5. Conditions normally associated with Integrity checks such as Fugue
• 6. Mental or Social Tilts or conditions equalling the potency of the effect
• 7. People or objects get involuntary Occultation while within the area
• 8. Fate spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Fate spells immediately lose two potency.

4. Primal Anomalies

• Life
• 1. Vitality is enervated, sapping strength, stamina, Dex or combinations. Even walking can be exhausting (speed divisions)
• 2. Flowers wither, milk curdles, and animals are skittish and on edge
• 3. Attracts vermin and bacteria or repels all forms of life
• 4. Animals may become mutated, becoming oversized or stunted
• 5. Deformed animals live in the area.
• 6. Mind spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Mind spells immediately lose two potency.
• Spirit
• 1. Objects may be ephemeral but visible. Sometimes objects drift into Twilight or even across the Gauntlet
• 2. People suffer from Conditions like Swooned, gain predatory areas or other applicable conditions.
• 3. The Gauntlet is very thin or very thick
• 4. Malevolent spirits are drawn to the Anomaly as some sort of misaligned Locus and may exist in the Twilight. Spirits gain Manifestation Conditions easily or gain a bonus to Manifestation rolls.
• 5. Objects or subjects gain the Resonant or Open condition for certain Resonances and spirits.
• 6. Spiritual resonance is tainted (lasting), tends to create Magath
• 7. A Verge is created, an additional Reach can make this an Abyssal Verge
• 8. Slumbering spirits in objects awaken and try to cause harm, spirits normally slumbering are way way more active than normal.  Objects break, stop working or inflict minor injuries or penalties on subjects in the area.
• 9. Matter spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Matter spells immediately lose two potency.

5. Stygian Anomalies

• Death
• 1. Ghosts in Twilight are attracted to the scene and tend to be angered or malevolent.  They gain Manifestations they don't usually have, or get bonuses to Manifestation rolls getting Resonant and Open Conditions easier than normal.
• 2. Objects and living things may phase into Twilight, objects may be visible but become ephemeral.
• 3. Spell rips a hole into the Underworld, infecting a gate or verge
• 4. Darkness becomes a living, palpable force, dimming light even during the day and becomes a crawling living miasma
• 5. Shadow people are witnessed
• 6. Dead animals and people may reanimate, created zombies or a handful of revenants
• 7. Organic matter decays faster
• 8. Spirit spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Spirit spells immediately lose two potency.
• Matter
• 1. Objects may become very brittle and breakable (taking structural damage from regular use) 
• 2. Failure in rolls using them automatically cause Dramatic Failures and usually break items
• 3. Items may lose efficiency
• 4. Mechanical things tend to break down
• 5. Things corrode and deteriorate, oxidize much faster than they should
• 6. Forces spells suffer a -2 penalty when cast in the area or standing Forces spells immediately lose two potency.

6. Alternative Anomalies

• Gnosis
• 1. All spells cast in the area of the Anomaly suffer a penalty of –1 die.
• 2. A mysterious force counterspells all spells cast in the area of the Anomaly with a dice pool of the invoker’s Gnosis.
• 3. Any mage in the area of the Anomaly has an effective Gnosis of one less than usual for all purposes. 
• Improvised or Ritual magic dice pools in the area of the Anomaly lose three dice.
• Vice
• 1. Money and other forms of wealth within the area affected smolder, burn, tarnish or otherwise degrade (Greed). 
• 2. People look and act uglier, forming blemishes and rude habits that disappear slowly after they leave the area of the Anomaly (Lust).
• 3. Living creatures must make Resolve + Composure rolls each turn in order to refrain from assaulting the nearest targets (Wrath).
• 4. Buildings, equipment and other possessions in the area degrade quickly, losing one point of Durability every 10 minutes (Sloth).
• 5. Every few turns, random inanimate objects turn into festering bundles of rotting meat (Gluttony).

• Derangements/Mental Conditions/Wisdom
• 1. Sentient creatures in the area act as though they were suffering from the same Persistent Mental Condition as the mage.
• 2. Living creatures develop hostility for the mage as a result of standing in the area of the Anomaly, which the creatures express any way they are apt. This is a lasting effect (paranoia).
• 3. Objects begin to talk about their situations. “I gotta open, it’s just what I do,” says the door, while the potted plant mumbles about the watering can (vocalization).
• 4. No one makes any decisions within the area of the Anomaly until it ends. In fact, decisions originally posed to those within the area affected remain undecided for a number of days equal to the mage’s Gnosis (anxiety).
• 5. Something (be it person or object) in the Anomaly becomes irresistibly attracted to something else, and begins to move toward it at a deliberate pace. the moving object or person cannot be stopped. Every few minutes, another such attraction develops, until the Paradox ends (fixation).
• 6. The minds of any creatures nearby switch every few minutes. Human or animal, it doesn’t matter. Any minds that leave the area of the Anomaly automatically change back at the end of the Paradox (multiple personality).

APPENDIX II: ABYSSAL CONDITIONS

 The following example Paradox Conditions are not exhaustive. The Storyteller is encouraged to invent his own:

Tilt: Abyssal Affliction

The Storyteller customizes a Condition for a mage.  See correspondence charts.  The Tilt acts as a sort of a inverted Numbus Tilt, inflicting a penalty or effect equal to the caster's Gnosis divided by 2 rounded down.
1. Attribute Drain: (can be effectively 0, pick one)

- Obrimos - minus Gnosis/2 Presence
- Acanthus - minus Gnosis/2 Wits
- Mastigos - minus Gnosis/2 Manipulation
- Thyrsus - minus Gnosis/2 Stamina
- Moros - minus Gnosis/2 Composure
- Pride - minus Gnosis/2 Intelligence
- Lust - minus Gnosis/2 Dexterity
- Wrath - minus Gnosis/2 Composure
- Sloth - minus Gnosis/2 Resolve
- Envy - minus Gnosis/2 Strength
- Greed - minus Gnosis/2 Resolve
- Gluttony - minus Gnosis/2 Stamina

2. Infected Nimbus: (pick one)

- Obrimos – appears uncaring, above it all, arrogant, pompous and driven. Charged, loud.  The mage cannot voluntarily flare their Nimbus Tilt.

- Mastigos – Aura gains demonic aspect, dominating and vile. Disorienting, subjugating.  The mage cannot cast on sympathetic targets.  The caster inflicts his own Nimbus Tilt on the mage instead of the people in the Scene with the mage.

- Moros – Mage appears ill, pale and acts coldly, seems drained or lifeless. Bleak, brittle, eerie… All damage inflicted on the caster by supernal magic is automatically Resistant Damage.

- Thyrsus – Mage appears more instinctual and predatory.  Spells cast by the mage have to deal with Gauntlet strength no matter what the spell if for.

- Acanthus – Mage appears spiteful, irrational, or wicked. Mage seems to be ethereal, mercurial, and in flux. Misleading and surreal… the mage cannot use Keys and Conditional Triggers, on spellcasting the spell rolls suffer the no 10s again dice trick/permutations.

- Greed – Overloaded with miserly intent and stingy. Hoarding or Squandering. They also cannot spend mana to reduce Paradox.

- Lust – Appear in heat, flush and hungry.  The mage is distracted, unable to turn off Mage Sight for the duration and suffering a -2 to perception checks on non-magical things.  They also suffer the Swooned Condition to the subject of the Spell for the duration of the Tilt.

- Pride – Sneering, unbelievably arrogance and distaste for others.  The mage suffers the Rampant Condition and have effectively one less Reach than normal.
- Sloth – Completely indifferent, muted, dead.  The Mage is unable to spend willpower points.
- Wrath – threatening, appears angry or predatory. The mage suffers the Insane Tilt but can still cast magic.  They cannot use Pattern Restorations.

- Gluttony – All consuming, never satisfied, addicted, crack-fiendy twitches, suffering withdrawls. The mage suffers from the Deprived Condition for the duration of the Tilt. They also cannot scour mana from their pattern.

- Envy – Greenish anguish, spiteful desire bakes off of them. They cannot transfer or use mana from outside of their personal Pattern.

3. Pattern Corruption:

- Forces - The mage suffers the Deafened Tilt

- Prime - The mage suffers a -3 penalty to spellcasting rolls

- Mind - The mage suffers the Insane Tilt

- Space - The mage suffers the Blinded Tilt

- Time - The mage suffers the Leg Wrack Tilt

- Fate - The mage suffers the Arm Wrack Tilt

- Matter - The mage suffers the Drugged Tilt

- Death - The mage suffers the Poisoned Tilt (Moderate - 1 Bashing Damage per round)

- Spirit - The mage suffers the Sick Tilt

- Life - The mage suffers Wound Penalties (-2) to all actions

4. Arcana Infection:

- Forces - The Mage is mute and cannot use Mantra Yantras (such as High Speech)

- Prime - The amount of Mana the mage can spend every turn is reduced by the mage's Gnosis divided by two rounded down.  The amount of Mana the mage can spend cannot be reduced below one.

- Mind - The mage cannot use willpower points on anything offensive in nature

- Space - The mage cannot use Environmental Yantras or benefit from a Supernal Verge or Demenses

- Time - The mage cannot spend more than a single turn to cast a spell for the rest of the scene.

- Fate - The mage suffers from a Hex (per the Fate Arcanum section), and cannot use Mudra Yantras (such as Rote Mudras), 

- Matter - The mage cannot use Tool Yantras (including Dedicated Tools)

- Death - The mage absorbs Paradox Backlash as Resistant Lethal Damage

- Spirit - The mage gains the Resonant condition for Gulmoth and cannot use Mandala Yantras

- Life - The mage cannot absorb Paradox Backlash as Resistant Bashing Damage

Condition: Abyssal Nimbus

The mage’s Nimbus is disfigured by the Abyss, the corruption cascading through her sympathetic links.

System: The mage, and any subjects affected by her Nimbus (including sympathetic ties influenced by her Long-Term Nimbus, anyone affected by her Nimbus Tilt, and anything imprinted with her Signature Nimbus), gain the Resonant Condition applicable to Abyssal entities. If the Paradox roll that inflicted this Condition rolled an exceptional success, she gains the Open Condition instead.

In addition, the Abyssal corruption is readily apparent to anyone who scrutinizes her Signature Nimbus, and her Long-Term Nimbus effects become twisted by the unreality of the Abyss.

A Moros’ Long-Term Nimbus might cause bizarre materials with impossible atomic properties to appear, while the religious revelations of an Obrimos’ Nimbus take on a nihilistic tone.

Resolution: An Abyssal Entity uses the Condition to Manifest, the mage Scours the Condition from her Pattern, or the mage allows the Condition to lapse after the specified time. Arcane Beat: Gain an Arcane Beat when this Condition lapses.

Condition: Abyssal Imago

The Abyss has warped the mage’s ability to clearly envision her Supernal will.

System: Whenever the mage casts a spell, she must spend additional Reach equal to the successes earned on the Paradox roll that inflicted this condition. If she does not, the spell automatically fails and adds dice equal to the caster’s spellcasting dice pool to the Paradox roll.

Resolution: 

The mage successfully casts a spell that does not risk Paradox, the mage Scours the Condition from her Pattern, or the mage allows the Condition to lapse after the specified time.

Arcane Beat: Gain an Arcane Beat when this Condition lapses.

Condition: Abyssal Backlash

The mage has drawn the attention of a vast Abyssal intelligence called an Annunaki, which seeks to corrupt the mage’s spells further.  Not to be confused with a Paradox Backlash, which is when a mage takes damage by absorbing his Paradox.

System: The next time the mage casts a spell that risks Paradox, add dice to the Paradox pool equal to the number of successes earned on the Paradox roll that inflicted this condition.

Resolution: The mage fully contains a Paradox, the mage Scours the Condition from her Pattern, or the mage allows the Condition to lapse after the specified time.

Arcane Beat: Gain an Arcane Beat when this Condition lapses.

Here are a couple more Paradox Conditions I cobbled together for our use:

Condition/Tilt: Mana Bleed

Tilt: Mana Bleed - In combat you lose your maximum amount of Mana per Turn every turn regardless if you mage uses if or not, but you might as well use it.  Condition: Mana Bleed: Outside of combat the mage loses that amount of Mana per Scene.  Duration/Resolution: Lasts until duration elapsed, you run out of Mana (but causes the Manaless Condition) or the condition is scoured out.  Alternatively, purging the mage of all their mana ends the condition but begins the Manaless condition immediately. 

Condition: Infected Mana

 The mage's entire mana pool is infected by Abyssal Resonance.  Any time the mage spends a point of mana the Abyssal mana is used up first and the mage takes a Resistant Lethal Damage. If the mage runs out of mana or safely bleeds it out of their pattern without spending it they gain the Manaless condition instead. Duration/Resolution: The mage Scours the Condition from her Pattern, or the mage allows the Condition to lapse after the specified time.

Arcane Beat: Gain an Arcane Beat when this Condition lapses.

Condition: Manaless
Ever wonder what happens if a mage uses literally every last drop of Mana in their pattern? There is a reason it doesn’t happen often. You see, just because a certain magic spell doesn’t cost Mana points to cast doesn’t mean that there isn’t some imperceptivity small amount of Mana expended to cast the spell. Without the Moon the tides cannot happen, in the same way the Mana in a mage’s pattern doesn’t necessarily need to be spent outright in order to use its metaphysical “mass” to manipulate spellwork (tidal action caused by gravity). Normally even when a mage has no Mana left to spend they still have enough to do residual spellwork so long as it doesn't cost a mana point, able to use many of their Rotes and Improvised spells of their Ruling Arcana now reducing a target’s Mana pool to zero neuters their powers completely. 

Gaining the Condition: The Condition is usually caused by the Mana Bleed condition.  It can also be caused by the Infected Mana Condition or from running out of Mana while inside the Abyss itself or its emenation rules (such as the Place Between).

System: Utterly devoid of mana, a Mage loses the ability to cast any new spells regardless of the cost. This also includes many Legacy Attainments and even certain Supernatural Merits that require the exertion of metaphysical action upon an outside force. Any currently active spells will continue to perpetuate until their durations expire, the caster won’t be able to maintain or recast any new spells. The subject can still use Imbued and magical items provided that any activation costs of Mana can be expended from the items themselves. Pattern Scouring cannot be used to recuperate Mana.

Resolution: The resolution of this condition is (of course) very simple. The subject must regain at least one Mana from any available source outside of the mage's pattern (again, Pattern Scouring does not grant mana for the duration of the Condition). Oblations, Pattern Scourging, Mana Transfers from items, Sacrifices, and Tass are all acceptable means of regaining Mana and removing the condition. The only method that won’t work is using direct spells to draw Mana from people and things.

Condition: Bedlam

The mage internalizes the rest of the Paradox and it corrupts the mage’s mind, riotous images, hallucinations and ringing aftereffects of utter alien horror.
System: Character gains the Condition Madness (counts as one). Additionally, the ST may penalize character’s dice rolls by the remaining unmitigated Paradox Reach on anything in line with their brand of insanity. Wisdom based resolution and mundane treatment is ineffective. (Reasoning is that these effects tend to be much more dramatic than their mundane counterparts and they are magically afflicted) Other conditions may also work for this. such as a Bedlam that inflicts Broken, Fugue, or Paranoid.  If the Paradox Roll achieved an Exceptional Success then the Condition lasts the next step up on the duration table, lasting longer than it should.
Resolution: Lapse or the character opts to lose a point of Wisdom.  Both Resolutions grant an Arcane Beat.

I also highly encourage players/STs to design their own conditions from the Derangements from the 1st edition new World of Darkness books (nWoD) for designing this Condition.  Books such as World of Darkness: Asylum. 

Condition: Branding

The Mage’s pattern is altered negatively as a result of the logic failures of the competing realities and is left with a "Paradox Mark". The Abyss can only reflect back what it catches in its distorted mirror. As a result Brandings twist what a Mage is, their Path and Vice are highlighted, even aspects of their magic or Legacy.
System: The Character gains a physical supernatural brand that penalizes certain rolls based on the amount of Paradox Reach used to create the condition. If the Paradox Roll achieved an Exceptional Success then the Condition lasts the next step up on the duration table, lasting longer than it should.

Resolution: Lapse or the character opts to lose a point of Wisdom.  Both Resolutions grant an Arcane Beat.

I highly recommend looking at Glitches in the Demon: The Descent books for more ideas on Brands.

Examples of Brandings:

1. Corrupted Aura (Uncanny Nimbus) = +Reach to detect the corrupted Nimbus of the mage. Any being with preternatural senses can much more easily see a Mage’s Aura and aspects of their Nimbus. Like high Gnosis ratings the Aura gains a bonus intensity rating that adds bonuses to sensing the Aura with supernatural sensory abilities. (+1 noticing and also Stacks with bonuses on the Gnosis Scale It is also overborne by aspects of the Mage’s Path, Vice, Subvice and Legacy. This can penalize social situations with rolls with beings that can detect it).  In addition, the Abyssal corruption is readily apparent to anyone who scrutinizes her Signature Nimbus, and her Long-Term Nimbus effects become twisted by the unreality of the Abyss. This can amplify any subtle effects the Nimbus has on the world around the mage.  Consider a temp Revamp of the Character's Nimbus Tilt, possibly inverting its bonuses and penalties.  Pick one aspect from below:

• Obrimos – appears uncaring, above it all, arrogant, pompous and driven. Charged, loud.
• Mastigos – Aura gains demonic aspect, dominating and vile. Disorienting, subjugating.
• Moros – Mage appears ill, pale and acts coldly, seems drained or lifeless. Bleak, brittle, eerie…
  
• Thyrsus – Mage appears more instinctual and predatory,
• Acanthus – Mage appears spiteful, irrational, or wicked. Mage seems to be ethereal, mercurial, and in flux. Misleading and surreal… Androgynous.
• Greed – Overloaded with miserly intent and stingy. Hoarding or Squandering.
• Lust – Appear in heat, flush and hungry
• Pride – Sneering, unbelievably arrogance and distaste for others
• Sloth – Completely indifferent, muted, dead
• Wrath – threatening, appears angry or predatory
• Gluttony – All consuming, never satisfied, addicted, crack-fiendy twitches, suffering withdrawls.
• Envy – Greenish anguish, spiteful desire bakes off of them

2. Black Mark (Witch’s Mark)–  -Reach in social rolls after noticed, +reach to perception checks to notice. The mage bears some weird but non-prominent spiritual blemish on their person that is notable to sleepers.  The social effect to sleepers is subliminal, even if the mark itself is covered up, these marks and effects aren’t natural. Pick one aspect from below:

• Mastigos – Smells of sulfur, brimstone and rust, rotten meat. Yellow tint to eyes, Black veins in skin. Moves disjointedly.
• Obrimos – Static is in the air and smells of ozone and burnt plastic, rotten saffron, moldy bread. Heat bakes off the body. Red tint to the eyes. White/yellow tinge to skin or marks.
• Moros – Smells of putrefaction, embalming fluids, rotten vegetables or burnt cinnamon. Gray coloration to skin, whitish tinge to eyes (making them appear cataract). Cold and clammy skin.
• Acanthus – Smells of rotten fruit, burned cedar. Welts of green and blue marks on skin . Greenish tint to eyes.
• Thyrsus – Whiff of strong musk, blood, strong vinegar or wet dog. Bluish tinge to eyes, red and brown tribal marks on skin. Reddish blotches on skin. Feverishly hot to the touch, sweaty. Trembles.
• Greed – Luminous motes in the eyes.
• Lust – Always painfully aroused, if not sexual in nature luminous motes
• Pride – A black nodule on the skin the size of a fist. Even covered up it leaks and stinks.
• Sloth – Gray pallor to skin
• Wrath – Heat emanates from the mage
• Gluttony – Water retention, looking fat or overburdened with whatever they crave, overindulged (hung over, sick, fat, exhausted, smokers and drug withdraw twitchy behavior)
• Envy – Cold emanates from the mage

3. Disfigurement – -Reach to social or physical rolls. The mage has a noticeable blemish even sleepers usually cannot fail to notice. They appear as infection or nasty wounds of an unnatural kind. Not only is there risk to attention, these marks also affect social rolls, penalized appropriate rolls (most of them).  Pick one of the following:

• Obrimos – Mage has major burns, black and redness. Nasty burn scarring that mars flesh like melted wax. Painful looking blisters. Wounds may have a white/yellow tinge as if bleached or cauterized , dozens of tiny puncture wounds like stingers from insects.
• Mastigos – Black acid burns on flesh creating nasty wounds and scarring. Long cuts in skin as if self-inflicted “cutting” took place. Scoured as if by a ct-of-nine-tails tipped with barbed wire and broken glass. Brands from hot iron in strange non-Euclidean designs. Wounds bleed fresh blood.
• Thyrsus – Horrible welts and boils, they are infected with pus. Fungus and bacterial colonies grow out of wounds and over the body. Sickly overall.
• Acanthus – Horrible road rash, nasty windburn, tiny holes from needles or thorns. The wounds are dry, crusty and no blood leaks out. Sand blasted by the elements. Leathery skin.
• Moros – Bruises as if beaten with a club. Rotting flesh and graying necrosis that peels and flakes. Wounds are pustules of weeping dark fluids. Blotches of pooled blood turned dark purple. Sunken eyes, skeletal features. Yellowed or bruised fingernails, fallen off in some cases.
• Greed – Black veins in skin
• Lust – Bizarre tenor to voice
• Envy – Uncontrolled drooling in excess
• Pride – Highly Metallic sheen to skin
• Wrath – Animal Pupils, predatory
• Sloth – Slimy, clammy skin
• Gluttony – Welts all over the body

4. Inhuman Feature – Your body has been warped terribly by Paradox.  Social rolls cannot be made with sleepers, they suffer breaking points when they witness your transformation. Mage gains a feature of non-human alteration to their body that cannot be easily hidden.

• Obrimos – (DOG) Patches of fur, canine wolfish teeth, pointed ears, hard black nails, elongated nose.
• Obrimos – (HIPPOGRIFF) – White eagle feathers on back, cloven hands, hooved feet, equine elongated face, pointed nose and chin, mane of hair. Electronics all fry within a few feet, eggs cook on the counter, heat, cold and static emanate from the mage causing electromagnetic burns, electronics fail.
• Mastigos (SNAKE) – Silky snake scales, reptilian mannerisms and pupils, forked tongue, fangs that fold out, unhinging jaw. Serpentine movements.
• Mastigos – (MANTICORE) – Reptilian spines, armor plating, scales, clawed hands, long black forked tongue, reptilian eyes, needled teeth. Emotions and desires override people around them, fear, loathing, submission, etc. Things tend to fall and break. Whispers fill the air. Hateful music is muffled but nearby. Howls of the tortured and damned. 
• Thyrsus – (CAT) – Feline mannerisms, slanted pupils, pointed ears, whiskers, claws, elegant movements, fur.
• Thyrsus – (MINOTAUR) – Curved bull or ram’s horns. Cloven hands and hooves feet, bulging muscles, instincts take over to run or kill or submit. Plants die and the area around them spoils resonance.
• Moros – (MOTH) – Segmented body, hardened skin, fine inhuman hair, segmented eyes, Spindly movements.
• Moros – (BASALISK) – Metallic sheen to skin, hard stony flesh, scales, things sterilize and die around the mage.
• Acanthus - (BIRD) Bird-like mannerisms, malformed feathers jut randomly from skin and out from hair. Talony fingers with scaly skin. Bird’s eyes, hard pointed nose and chin.
• Acanthus – (UNICORN) – Cloven hands, hooved feet, mane of hair, equine elongated face, spiraling horns. Time dilates or compresses, bad luck happens and food rots, things crack and shatter.
  
• Greed – A ratty vestigial tail that can act as another limb
• Greed – Surrounded by a cloud of flies
• Lust – A black slimy tentacle sprouting from somewhere on the body. 
• Lust – swarm of vermin, rats, cockroaches or other insects follow after the mage and crawl all over them
• Envy – Mouth full of rows and rows of shark teeth or extra sets of eyes
• Envy – A miasma of death kills small animals and all plants in a short amount of time.
• Pride – Horns jutting from the head, shoulders, and or back, hard timorous protrusion or tumorous armored plates in random patches.
• Pride – Forked tail and glowing red eyes. Tail is useless.
• Wrath – Mage’s hands warp into multi-jointed or segmented things with terrible blades, claws, talons, needles, mouths at the end.
• Wrath – The mage’s body smokes from within, acrid oily smoke fills the air around him
• Sloth – Slimy fish scales and spines.
• Sloth – Mist floats around the mage and from him
• Gluttony – A mouth full fangs circling to a lamprey shape in the back of the throat
• Gluttony – Horrible smell or rotten meat and everything organic rots and putrefies around

5. Hoar – The mage leaves behind a strange but subtle characteristic on things that she handles.  This effect is combined with Corrupted Aura/Uncanny Nimbus (Brand type 1).  Effects don't have mechanical benefits but could cause Breaking Points in Sleepers if they notice too much too often.

• Lust – Metallic things may feel cold and clammy for a scene, people look flush
• Gluttony - objects begin stinking as if burning
• Pride - objects become dull
• Greed - objects gain a metallic sheen
• Envy - objects drip with condensation
• Wrath - People touched by the mage appear angry, objects are hot
• Sloth - objects and people appear pale or less vivid

6. Ill Touch - Things the mage touches develop more prominent and odd features.  This effect is combined with Black Mark/Witch's Mark (Brand type 2).  If noticed, the mage suffers -2 penalty to social rolls against Sleepers, Mages and other supernatural creatures excluding Intimidation rolls.

• Lust – objects begin to glow faintly
• Gluttony - objects become rougher than normal
• Pride - concrete or stone surfaces leave seared marks or impressions
• Greed - objects are marked with strange tribal runes where touched
• Envy - Glass surfaces and mirrors crack or shatter
• Wrath - Grained woods darken as if burned
• Sloth - Objects become slimy

7. Scarred World - The mage harms the things she touches, something that is evident to any who care to notice.  She suffers a –3 dice penalty to Social rolls (except for Intimidation) if noticed.  This is combined with Disfigurement (Brand type 3).
Lust – radio signals seem to dampen around the mage
• Gluttony - Objects melt as if exposed to acid (stomach acid some would say)
• Pride - Wind whips and blows around her but never touches her
• Greed - Objects blacken as if burned by incredible heat
• Envy - Things touched or studied lose all color for a scene
• Wrath - Touching people causes searing acute pain (wound penalties -1), no actual wounds
• Sloth - Objects touched by the mage can only move at half-speed for a scene

8. Hell's Choir - Things around the mage (within touch range but not touched) change in obviously demonic or fantastic ways. She suffers a –5 dice penalty to Social rolls (except for Intimidation). Objects change when not directly observed slowly over the course of a scene and return to normal at the end of the scene. Magical Items react differently to these effects. Sometimes, the items resist the Paradox’s changes entirely, or the items may change temporarily but shift back after the Paradox’s duration ends. What actually happens varies, but they are never permanently ruined.  Artifacts are always unchanged by this effect. This Brand is combined with Inhuman Features (Brand type 4).


• Lust – Object shift into an unpleasant color
• Gluttony - Objects melt and sag into piles of mush
• Pride - objects near the mage's take on shapes related to her Path slowly, during the scene and return to normal after the scene.
• Greed - Objects tarnish and become valueless
• Envy - Objects become very brittle and break easily, may shatter when the mage leaves
• Wrath - Tiny bite marks appear in objects
• Sloth - Objects shift into their raw, unwrought forms. Glass becomes sany, paper becomes wooden, metal becomes several different things.