Quintessence

All Mages begin each game session with their Avatar Rating in Quintessence. This is represented by blue poker chips.

Aristotle claimed that all things were created of four essences – earth, wind, water, and fire. He also claimed the sun and astral bodies were composed of a fifth essence – Quintessence. However, Mages know that Quintessence isn’t just a cosmic phenomenon – it is all around us. Everything has some Quintessence in it.

Quintessence is in the air all around us, although in minor quantities. Some locations draw Quintessence into them; these are called Nodes, centers of magic. Mages will fight and die just to control the power of a minor Node.

Quintessence is often used to power spells, especially in the Prime Sphere. Also, a Mage can spend traits of Quintessence to Overpower their Rotes, making their spells last longer and do greater things. More on this is in the Magic section.

Resonance

Mages are inherently magical creatures, no longer exactly human, but not exactly inhuman either. Resonance describes the degree to which your character has left his humanity behind, and is becoming a magical being.

Resonance can have a strong effect on your character’s personality. A Mage with high Dynamic Resonance might find it difficult to do anything related to preservation or protection.

Resonance is the balancing factor of the Mage world. As you gain more Resonance, you become less human, and more of a magical being. High Resonance may cause a Mage to begin losing his humanity, and extreme Resonance might cause a person to become one with the magic, no longer a person at all. Resonance is not a good thing. It is magical baggage, spiritual weight that can crush a Mage long before he ever reaches Ascension.

Your Resonance type is based on your Avatar Essence. Thus, there are four types of Resonance: Dynamic, Pattern, Primordial, and Questing.

Dynamic: The Mage is driven towards change and motion.

0-3: The Resonance has no noticeable effect, although he may seem a little ‘out there’ at times.

4-6: The Mage begins to experience occasional hallucinations, small voices in the back of his head, and shifting shadows.

7-10: The delusions become more common, as the Mage drifts further into his own fantasy world. The Mage may touch things that others cannot see, walk through walls as if they weren’t there, and climb invisible stairs. The Mage’s emotions come to the surface, such as his teeth sparking and hair standing on end when he shouts.

11+: Past this point, there’s no telling what might happen to the Mage. Perhaps madness…or true enlightenment.

Pattern: The Mage is driven towards protecting things, keeping them as they are.

0-3: The Resonance has no noticeable effect, although the Mage may seem reluctant to make major changes to the world around him.

4-7: The Mage likes things as they are, and works within the system. These kinds of Mages often use modern technology in their workings. They prefer reliable things – things that will work the same way, every time you use them.

8-10: The Mage becomes obsessed with minute details and cold facts, being unable to cope with change and wonder. He will do anything to prevent changes to his world – including attacking things that violate his worldview, such as dragons or Mages using vulgar magic. The Mage becomes slow and steady, perhaps taking on the qualities of steady things, such as rock-like skin which crumbles when he moves.

11+: Past this point, the future is unknown. A Pattern Mage may finally understand the world…or finally become unable to cope with it.

Primordial: The Mage is driven towards contemplation of life and death.

0-3: The Resonance has no noticeable effect, although these Mages can be a little uncanny, feeling ancient even if they are themselves young.

4-7: The Mage finds himself drawn to places full of life or death, such as cemeteries or forests, slaughterhouses or maternity wards. He may contemplate death often, and cut himself just to feel the rush of pain through him. Or he may become jubilant, filled with a celebration of life, taking joy at the simplest things in nature.

8-10: The Mage is filled with jhor, the taint that comes with living too close to life and death. Plants die in his presence, and people are chilled by his passing. He is unable to speak to people without contemplating their death, and is unable to handle an object without attempting to destroy it. Perhaps his skin grows pale and death-like, or his scent becomes like the grave.

11+: Past this point, the path is lost. Perhaps a Primordial Mage gains mastery over life and death…or perhaps he simply finds the death he sought.

Questing: The Mage is driven towards the completion of his goals.

0-3: The Resonance has no noticeable effect, although it can be hard to pry a Mage away from his goal.

4-7: Although the Mage may change his goals often, whatever he is currently pursuing becomes a burning fire in his heart. He has difficulty doing anything not directly related to pursuing his goals, even if it would be for the good of all. His goals at this point tend to get more elaborate and loftier, which makes his pursuit of them all the more frenzied.

8-10: The Mage chooses a goal, and pursues it until completion. He is unable to do anything whatsoever which is not directly related to his goal. Mages at this level often use Rotes which allow them to forego food and sleep, and pursue their goal night and day. When they finally achieve it, they feel no accomplishment, they simply start pursuing a new goal. This may not sound so bad, but such a single-minded Mage will find it nearly impossible to interact with the world around him. The Mage has difficulty speaking with people, always looking through them at the task ahead. His eyes may glow, or he may float above the ground, to show the immense passion flowing through him.

11+: Is it even possible to feel such passion for your goals? The path of the Questing Mage may end with inevitable self-destruction…or maybe his goals will finally lead him to Ascension.

It’s not clear exactly what causes a Mage to gain Resonance, but possibilities include: serious injury, magical combat, excessive Paradox, traumatic events, contact with a node, learning a high-level Sphere, going into Quiet, or using an occult ritual, among many other possibilities. For the most part, Resonance will result from high rolls on the Paradox Table.

Gaining Resonance from Spheres and Arete: Each time a Mage purchases a Sphere, or a point of Arete, the ST will determine if his study has caused an increase in Resonance. This is a simple d10 roll. If the d10 roll is less than or equal to the level of the Sphere or Arete being bought, the Mage gains Resonance. For example, if learning an Apprentice Level Sphere, the ST needs to roll above 1 on a d10 to avoid Resonance. If learning a Master Level Sphere, the ST would need to roll above 5 on a d10. (You don’t need to worry anyway – the ST will handle the rolls.)

The Mage always gains the type of Resonance specific to his Avatar Essence. Lusting greatly for power can very quickly make a character unplayable – one of the necessary balances that a Mage must master.