Default Rotes

 

            When you create your character’s Spheres, or learn a new Sphere Level, you will choose your Rotes from this list.  The reason we don’t just let you create your own Rotes from the start is twofold: first, pre-defined Rotes make the Storyteller’s job easier, especially when creating new characters.  Second, it gives a sense of continuity to the Spheres and their effects – where if somebody is said to be skilled in Prime, you can guess that they probably know a Rote to channel bolts of Quintessence.  You won’t know for sure (since you only have to take one of the two Rotes at each level), but it makes these Rotes both respected and feared.

 

For each Rote you know, you’ll get a 3x5 card, with the Rote’s stats listed.  The 3x5 card is law.  If you have a problem with the way the ST interpreted a Rote, you need to bring it up with him before you use the Rote.

You cannot use a Rote for which you do not have a 3x5 card.  If the card gets lost, or the ST just doesn’t get it done before the game, you can’t use that Rote during the game.  The STs will do their best to get your Rotes prepared quickly, but we can’t have magical spells flying around without knowing what they’re supposed to do.

 

These Rotes intentionally have the most boring names possible.  They’re just lists of effects.  It’s up to you to determine how your Mage uses these Rotes, and how they fit into your Paradigm.  Once you’re done choosing your Rotes, take a look at the Rote Modifiers page to see if you want to make them Cooperative, Coincidental, or Ritual.

 

Apprentice Rotes (Sphere Level 1)

            These Rotes are largely sensory in nature; they give you more information to work with.  If you wish to use one of these Rotes to find hidden information, you should either find an ST, or you can ask another player who knows the answer.  (Such as if you’re analyzing an object they carry.)  They’re an easy way to learn more about an object or a person, but be wary, since every use brings Paradox, and every point of Paradox is another chance at catastrophe.

 

Correspondence

Locate Self – The Mage gains an instant knowledge of his location, relative to some point he knows.  Often this point is the Mage’s home, allowing him to return safely.

Range Finder – The Mage instantly discerns the exact distance to an object.  In addition to being useful in golf, this gives him a bonus when trying to do things like leap across a gap or roll with a fall.

Sense Connection – The Mage detects the presence of unusual connections in a person or object – either from other Correspondence magic, or from other sources.  For example, this Rote could find which ring in a box of rings had actually been worn as an engagement ring.

Entropy

Locate Bottleneck – After spending some time observing a process or organization, the Mage gains a bonus when attempting to determine where a bottleneck lies – which employee is slowing down a company, which machine is holding up manufacturing, etc.

Sense Entropy – The Mage detects the presence of unusual fate in a person or object – either from other Entropy magic, or from other sources.  It could detect loaded dice, or sense if a person had been placed under an Entropy-based blessing or curse.

Sense Weakness – The Mage searches for weaknesses in an object’s Pattern.  He gains a bonus on his next challenge to injure a person or break an object.  This Rote may be used in combat.

Forces

Detect Transmissions – The Mage focuses on detecting outgoing energy signals.  This is most useful for detecting electronic bugs planted in a room, and some paranoid Mages won’t say a word until they’ve watched a room for at least an hour with this Rote.

Thermal Sight – The Mage shifts his vision into the infrared spectrum, and has no penalties for blindness, even in total darkness.  This sight is based on the Mage’s own sight, so he cannot use this Rote to see through walls or such.

Quantify Energy – The Mage chooses a source of energy, and may ask one question about it to an ST.  These questions might include ‘how much energy is going through this wire?’ or ‘where is this radio signal coming from?’ or ‘is this thing radioactive?’

Life

Sense Life – The Mage senses living things all around him, up to a certain distance.  He also gains a basic sense of their nature – human, animal, or vegetable.  Unless they are magically concealed, he gains a bonus to detect any hidden persons.

Sense Health – The Mage studies the health and injury of a person or animal.  The target must immediately tell the Mage how many Health Levels he has remaining.

True Age – The Mage focuses on another person, looking for invisible flaws in their life.  The player of that character must tell the Mage how old his character truly is, not just how old he looks.  This can be quite interesting – Porthos, for example, looks to be about 60-70, but is actually over 500 years old!

Matter

Analyze Substance – The Mage chooses an object, and may ask one question about it to an ST.  These questions might include ‘how much weight could this hold?’ or ‘is this really a diamond?’ or ‘what kind of metal is this?’  Note that a Mage is limited by his own knowledge; he won’t look at a white block and declare it sodium if he has no idea what sodium should look like.  (He might declare it to be ‘a block of one solid substance, which will react poorly with water.’)

Detect Durability – The Mage touches an object, and immediately knows how much damage it can withstand (its Durability) and if it has taken any damage already.

Detect Secrets – The Mage looks over an object as best he can.  He becomes aware of any neat features built into it – for example, a hidden compartment, secret button, or trap.  If the object has no secrets, the Mage will know.

Mind

Mind Empowerment – The Mage enhances his own mind.  He gains +1 Trait to any test involving raw mental power and knowledge, such as mathematics, cryptology, or translation.  He may contemplate a problem while still remaining fully aware of the world around him.

Mind Sensing – The Mage seeks out the minds of others.  He can sense the effects of Mind magic - if there is a mind where there shouldn’t be one (such as a magically-aware brick wall), or if a creature lacks a mind (such as a Sons of Ether robot, which looks human, but has no mind).

Conscience Alarm – The Mage allows himself to feel the presence of minds around him.  He gains a bonus on his next challenge to detect someone hiding with Stealth, and generally is very difficult to eavesdrop on or ambush.

Prime

Self-Sacrifice – Using this Rote, a Mage may convert his own life to Quintessence, gaining 1 Quintessence for each level of Lethal damage he gives himself.  This Rote is obviously risky, but can be a true lifesaver when needed.

Magical Sense – The Mage senses the flow of magic around him.  He may ask one question about the magic of a person, place, or object, such as ‘is he a Mage?’ or ‘is this object magical?’ or ‘has magic been used here recently?’  At higher Sphere Levels, more detailed versions of this Rote may be developed, but many Mages know the usefulness of this basic level of perception.

Sense Quintessence – The Mage focuses closely on another magic-user.  The subject must tell the caster how many points of Quintessence they currently possess.

Spirit

Hear Spirit – The Mage listens closely to the Penumbra.  He may eavesdrop on other characters and spirits who have used Spirit to shift into the Penumbra, although he may not yet make his voice be heard.  If he is in the Penumbra, he uses this Rote to listen into normal reality.

Spirit Sight – The Mage extends his sight into the Penumbra.  This allows him to see any characters who have used Spirit to shift into the Penumbra.  He may also see spirits, but they pass by quickly, unless one is specifically interested in the Mage or his companions.  If he is in the Penumbra, he uses this Rote to see into normal reality.

Detect Possession – Voodoo and other religions have a long tradition of spirits ‘riding’ humans.  This Rote allows a Mage to detect when a person is not himself, and is being manipulated by the spirit world.  Unfortunately, the Mage cannot do much about the possession until he learns more Spirit.

Time

Sense Changes – Powerful Mages can use Time to go back and rewrite the past.  By using this Rote, a Mage can discover whether he is living in his original reality, or if things have been changed by Time magic.  He may not know exactly what has changed, or be able to fix it, but he will get a disconcerting sense that the world is wrong.  This Rote can be as much a curse as a blessing.

Perfect Time – The Mage instantly knows the current time.  This is more useful than a simple watch, however.  In the Umbra, time can change rapidly, and a Mage who goes out without this Rote may be lost forever.  With this Rote, a Mage will always make it to his meetings on time, and always be home for supper.

Time Sense – The Mage detects any unusual effects in time.  He may ask a player or ST if there is any Time magic in effect on a person or object, or within about 10 feet of his position.  This can be useful for avoid Time-based traps laid by other Mages.

 

Initiate Rotes (Sphere Level 2)

            Think of magic as a body of water.  The Apprentice Rotes allow you to become aware of the water.  The Initiate Rotes allow you to interact with it, although in a clumsy fashion.  Imagine throwing a rock into a pond.  It may have an impressive effect, but you can’t control exactly where the rock will land, or what the effect will be.  Initiate effects are very rewarding, however, because the Mage shifts from being a passive observer to an active participant in the world of magic.

 

Correspondence

Extend Touch – The physical body is no longer an obstacle to the Mage’s touch.  He can touch, manipulate, or attack objects within 10 feet of him as if he were standing there.  This Rote uses his normal physical abilities; it does not allow a weak Mage to push down a brick wall (although by transferring his push to the top of the wall, he might stand a much better chance of doing so).

Ward Area – The Mage creates a small field of non-connection around him.  This Rote prevents other Mages from using Correspondence to scry on the area, and makes it more difficult for others to teleport in and out.  The ward lasts only for a short time, however.

Scrying ­­– The Mage can send his senses to another place, observing as if he were there.  Mages usually use elaborate rituals for this Rote – whether using a crystal ball, a magic mirror, or a pair of LCD sunglasses, this spell is a classic.  It is also well known, and easy to defend against with other Correspondence Rotes.

Entropy

Games of Chance – The Mage gains an advantage in any game where chance has a factor.  The player might be allowed to draw two hands and take the better one in poker, pick two horses instead of one in a race, and so on.  The effects aren’t perfect, but they’re a good way to make money.  Unfortunately, it’s fairly trivial for other Mages to detect this Rote in effect.

Cluttered Drawer – The Mage can find items in a cluttered environment quickly, by simply trusting luck.  For example, he could reach into a toolbox and immediately pull out the proper wrench, or reach into a sock drawer and immediately find the one sock that doesn’t belong.

Beginner’s Luck – The Mage can gain a bonus when using any Ability that he doesn’t actually possess.  Even a beginner has a chance of hitting a 400 yard hole-in-one, and sometimes the less you know about a subject, the easier it is to succeed by chance.

Forces

Electrical Shutdown – Computers and other high-tech machines work with extremely precise flows of electricity.  It’s fairly simple to bring that all crashing down.  The Mage gains a significant bonus to any attempt to shut down or crash an electrical machine.

Kinetic Energy Shield – The Mage surrounds himself with an aura of repulsive force, turning attacks away from him.  He gains a bonus to his Dodge Ability for a few turns.

Invisibility to Light – The Mage bends light around him, effectively placing himself in an invisible pocket of space for a short while.  Unfortunately, he cannot see out, either, unless he uses another Rote to allow him to see outside the visible spectrum.

Life

Alter Plant – The Mage can subtly alter the growth of plants, speeding or slowing their growth and dictating how they will grow.  The Mage might cause a tree, over the course of a week, to bend over and grow through a window, or cause vines to wind through the machinery of a car in a few hours.  The process is slow, but can be very useful if the Mage is creative.

Heal Self – The easiest thing for a Life-user to heal is himself.  He quickly recovers a level of Bashing or Lethal damage.  However, this Rote is unable to fix the damages caused by Paradox, at least not immediately.

Heal Minor Animal Wounds  – The Mage can speed the healing of minor wounds on an animal, causing cuts to close and rashes to fade.  He cannot, say, regrow a severed limb, but he can effectively smooth over flaws in animal Patterns.

Matter

Heal Simple Object – The Mage can magically repair an object which has taken damage.  The object must be mostly made of a single substance – the Mage could use this Rote to straighten a sword or smooth a dent out of a car door, but not repair a watch.

Melt Substance – The Mage briefly changes the structure of a substance, rendering it soft and pliable.  He can overcome a door simply by tearing a hole through it, or open a lock simply by melting it apart.  The substance quickly returns to its natural state.

Transmutation – The Mage can change a small, homogenous chunk of one substance into another similar subtance.  For example, he could turn a glass pendant into a perfect emerald, or turn copper into gold.  Paradox slowly returns the object to its original form, but while it lasts, the Mage can make some quick money, or do something else that requires a rare substance.  Sons of Ether prize this rote for allowing them to study light, lasers, and gemstones without needing to leave the lab.

Mind

Distraction and Doubt – The Mage hits his target with a wave of negative emotion, causing him to hesitate and stumble.  In combat, this throws off the target’s next few attacks or defenses, as they struggle to overcome the emotional weight placed on them.

Powerful Presence – The Mage amplifies his own Presence Attribute.  His performances are more stirring, his intimidation more terrifying, and his command more inspiring.  He gains a bonus to any Presence-based challenges.

Social Embarrassment – The Mage projects a quick impulse, causing his target to slip up socially – laughing in a tense situation, sneezing while shaking the Primus’s hand, and such.  This is a challenge of the caster’s magical ability versus the target’s Etiquette Ability.

Prime

Quintessence Armor – The Mage enhances his body with a shell of Quintessence, granting him the effects of armor – but only against magical attacks.  Normal blades and physical attacks are unaffected by his armor, but spirits are.  This Rote requires Quintessence to use.

Quintessence Blade – The Mage creates a weapon out of Quintessence, making it resonate into all layers of reality.  This weapon can strike spirits (although the Mage would need another Rote to be able to see them), and can attack a person even if they’re in a form which normally cannot be hit, such as dissolved to mist, shifted into the Umbra, or melded with an oak tree.

Quintessence Bolt – The Mage hurls a projectile made of pure Quintessence, which strikes both at the body and the soul of the target, doing a level of both Bashing and Lethal damage.  This Rote requires Quintessence to use.

Spirit

Spirit Touch – The Mage extends his sense of touch into the Penumbra.  He can touch spirits and strike them if necessary, using his normal combat abilities.  When used from the Penumbra, this Rote allows the Mage to shift objects slightly, as a poltergeist might.

Spirit Voice – The Mage can now communicate into the Penumbra, without actually having to cross over.  He can communicate with spirits (who are in no way obligated to listen), or send out a general shout for help.  If he is in the Penumbra, he can communicate back to reality, his voice drifting as a whisper from the air.

Spirit Ward – The Mage has learned some basic rituals to prevent spirits from entering an area.  By using this Rote, he can make it more difficult for other Mages to cross to or from the Penumbra, and cause spirits to keep their distance from the area.

Time

Danger Sense - The Mage uses his preferred method to predict the near future, seeking out danger.  For the rest of the night, if he is forced into combat, he gets one free turn to prepare (including using another Rote, if desired) to represent that he saw the conflict coming.  This bonus does not apply if he is the one who starts the fight.

Hindsight – The Mage gazes into a crystal ball or other object, and sees fleeting glimpses of the recent past.  He may glean a few details about who was there, what was said, and so on.  The easiest way to use this Rote is simply to find a player who was there, and ask them what you want to know.

Time Wards – The Mage muddles the flow of time around him.  This makes it more difficult for other Mages to use Time magic to spy on him from the past or the future, using Rotes such as Hindsight.

 

Disciple Rotes (Sphere Level 3)

            Here is where the Rotes really begin to exemplify their Spheres, allowing you to do all the cool stuff you’ve probably wanted to do from the beginning.  Spirit can now enter the Penumbra.  Forces can now throw fireballs.  Time can now speed up the Mage.  Of course, the Paradox increases for Rotes of this level, but for many Mages, this will be your first chance to really play around with the true power of the Spheres.

 

Correspondence

 

 

Adept Rotes (Sphere Level 4)

            Now the Spheres become even more powerful, gaining interesting and unpredicted effects in addition to their normal uses.  Many of these Rotes are almost game-breaking, and if used intelligently, can make the game a much more interesting or deadly place.  Once any Mages reache the Adept level of a Sphere, the mood of the game will change – because at this level, if your enemies aren’t prepared to defend against you, you can utterly destroy them.  The threat of Paradox is still there – as always – but that’s a small price to pay, right?

 

Master Rotes (Sphere Level 5)

            Yes, nearly all of these Rotes will royally screw up the game.  When any Mages reach the Master level of a Sphere, it’s probably about time that we start thinking about how to conclude this game and start a new one.  These Mages can conjure nuclear explosions with a snap of their fingers, slip forward and backward in time, be in multiple locations at once, and create new things – body, mind, and soul – from nothingness.  A Master level Rote can potentially unmake the entire game.  Fun for the whole family.