Prime: This Sphere covers the study of Quintessence, the raw stuff of Awakened Magic. Mages trained in this Sphere understand and manipulate creation at its most basic, learning to detect, absorb and alter this mysterious Fifth Essence.

Specialty: Celestial Chorus

1 – Etheric Senses, Effuse Personal Quintessence

2 – Weave Odyllic Force, Fuel Pattern, Enchant Patterns

3 – Channel Quintessence, Enchant Life

4 – Sublimate Quintessence, Permanently Enchant Matter & Forces, Tap Wellspring

5 – Alter Quintessential Flow, Nullify Paradox, Permanently Enchant Life, Create Node

Prime is the study of the flow of Quintessential Patterns, the basic building blocks of reality. It isn’t exactly ‘the study of magic,’ but since nearly all magic manipulates Quintessence to some degree, it’s a common use for Prime.

Prime is an essential and powerful Sphere, as it governs the use of Quintessence to aid other forms of magic. Without wielding Quintessence, nothing can be made permanent, and the Mage’s work will gradually fade away. But Prime has more immediate uses – wielding Quintessence as a deadly weapon or a powerful shield, and gaining insight into the workings of magic itself. Prime energy fuels everything, so the Master of Prime has some control over anything.

Prime cannot create things from nothing without other Spheres. Prime deals purely with the magical side of things, and the essential nature of creation and destruction. Think of Prime as the power cells of magic, and the other Spheres are its conduits and controls. It’s possible to use Prime alone – but the results are often impressive and uncontrollable. Perhaps the greatest limit of Prime is that nearly all uses require Quintessence. Furthermore, although there is no XP cost for creating temporarily magical items, if a Mage wishes to create a permanently magical item, they must buy the Wonder background.

Apprentice Prime: Etheric Senses, Effuse Personal Quintessence

The Mage has tapped into the ebb and flow of Quintessence, able to see Quintessence in motion, flowing through magic and Nodes. A Mage may be able to determine what kind of effect was cast and how powerful it was, long after the event has passed. This level of Prime can instantly discern a magical item from a non-magical one, and identify if someone is enchanted.

Initiate Prime: Weave Odyllic Force, Fuel Pattern, Enchant Patterns

The Mage has learned to push the flow of Quintessence the way he wants it, in clumsy and destructive ways. He may force Quintessence to flow into an object, making a weapon more powerful, or create a weapon out of pure Quintessential energy. With Forces, he might hurl a bolt of pure Prime energy at a target. At this level, the Mage may use Prime with other Spheres to create objects out of nothingness. He cannot yet affect powerful stores of Quintessence, such as Nodes and Wonders, nor can he enchant the Patterns of living beings.

Disciple Prime: Channel Quintessence, Enchant Life

A Mage can now not only guide the flow of Quintessence, but start the flow of inert Tass (solidified Quintessence). He can transfer Quintessence from one thing to another, between Nodes, Wonders, his Avatar, Tass, and others. He can use this power to create minor Talismans and Charms. He can even activate the life within Quintessence, giving this pure energy a chance to act on its own. A Mage with patience can gain Quintessence from the world around him, by leeching off the Quintessence released as things fall to entropy. Finally, the Mage can now enchant life with pure primal energy, allowing his hands and claws to attack other Patterns directly, doing Lethal damage.

Adept Prime: Sublimate Quintessence, Permanently Enchant Matter & Forces, Tap Wellspring

At this high level, the Mage has learned to return Quintessence to the Tellurian directly – and by using this power on an object, he can erase its Pattern from existence entirely. He can gain a minor amount of Quintessence by doing so, siphoning off the Prime energy release as the object is erased, although this practice is quite a dark act, as it removes the item from reality entirely. The Mage can now make greater Artifacts and Wonders, create Tass by his will, or create Quintessence storage devices called Soulgems. At places with powerful Resonance, the Mage can tap wellsprings – opening a temporary Node to bathe the Mage in Quintessence.

Master Prime: Alter Quintessential Flow, Nullify Paradox, Permanently Enchant Life, Create Node

The Master of Prime gains many new abilities governing the use of Quintessence. They can blast targets out of existence by shutting off the Quintessence in their Pattern. Masters may also increase the flow of Prime through a being, instantly refreshing their Quintessence up to their Avatar Rating. The Mage can now nullify some of the Paradox in a subject, curing Paradox Flaws and preventing further backlashes, although his power is still insufficient to fully contain Paradox. Masters can enchant any living thing permanently, giving them blessings (particularly when combined with other Spheres), or making them living Tass or stores of Quintessence. The Master may now open a wellspring of Quintessence anywhere, giving a brief free source of Quintessence, and in places of strong Resonance may even open new Nodes with his will.