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    Book of

    Magic

    The Pleasure Dome

    WoD Expansion

    Troy Heady

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    2

    The Pleasure Dome

    Book of Magic

    ContentsElemental Magic .................................................................................................................................... 5

    Elementalist Levels ......................................................................................................................... 6

    Elemental Magic in Action ................................................................................................................. 6

    Elemental Pools .............................................................................................................................. 6

    Elemental Balance .......................................................................................................................... 7

    Elementals and Technology ........................................................................................................... 7

    Elemental Powers .............................................................................................................................. 8

    Gathering Power ............................................................................................................................ 8

    Changing Elementals ...................................................................................................................... 9

    Summoning Elementals ................................................................................................................. 9

    Other Elementalists...................................................................................................................... 10

    Altering the World Around You ................................................................................................... 11

    Moving Between Planes ............................................................................................................... 11

    Sight & Sound ............................................................................................................................... 12

    Physical Manifestations ............................................................................................................... 12

    Ritual Magic ......................................................................................................................................... 13Laws of Magic................................................................................................................................... 13

    Common ritual practices .................................................................................................................. 18

    Ritual Magic in Action ...................................................................................................................... 19

    Recasting ...................................................................................................................................... 20

    Ritual Disruption .......................................................................................................................... 20

    Magic Items .................................................................................................................................. 20

    Potions ......................................................................................................................................... 21

    Common rituals ................................................................................................................................ 21

    Dark Magic Rituals ........................................................................................................................... 22

    Major Players ....................................................................................................................................... 23

    LightBringers .................................................................................................................................... 23

    The Church ................................................................................................................................... 23

    The White Hand ........................................................................................................................... 24

    Angels ........................................................................................................................................... 25

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    Lords Of Darkness ............................................................................................................................. 29

    The Cult ......................................................................................................................................... 29

    Devils and Demons ....................................................................................................................... 29

    The Fallen ..................................................................................................................................... 30

    Vampires ....................................................................................................................................... 30

    Children of Chaos ............................................................................................................................. 32

    The Touched ................................................................................................................................. 32

    Chaotician ..................................................................................................................................... 33

    The Fey ......................................................................................................................................... 33

    The Technocratic Order .................................................................................................................... 35

    Virtual Adepts ............................................................................................................................... 35

    Dimensional Engineering Corp ..................................................................................................... 36

    Syndicate ...................................................................................................................................... 36

    Progenitors ................................................................................................................................... 36

    Agents ........................................................................................................................................... 37

    The Iteration ................................................................................................................................. 37

    Elementalists .................................................................................................................................... 38

    People of Note ...................................................................................................................................... 39

    Houston ............................................................................................................................................ 39

    Domino ......................................................................................................................................... 39

    Janeane Rouse .............................................................................................................................. 39

    John Grayman ............................................................................................................................... 39

    Chris Shor ...................................................................................................................................... 39

    Sam White .................................................................................................................................... 39

    Azazel ............................................................................................................................................ 39

    Father Francis Finkirk ................................................................................................................... 39

    Rev. Frank Rossi ............................................................................................................................ 39

    Michael ......................................................................................................................................... 40

    Gangs ............................................................................................................................................ 40

    Organized Crime ........................................................................................................................... 40

    Dallas ................................................................................................................................................ 40

    Master Po ..................................................................................................................................... 40

    Austin ................................................................................................................................................ 40

    Maximilian von Outen .................................................................................................................. 40

    Claudia Blackwell .......................................................................................................................... 40

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    4

    Marc Wailings .............................................................................................................................. 40

    James Adams ................................................................................................................................ 40

    Vivian Bell ..................................................................................................................................... 41

    Appendix .............................................................................................................................................. 41

    Word Of Darkness System Changes ................................................................................................. 41

    Character Building ........................................................................................................................ 41

    Elementalist ................................................................................................................................. 41

    Others .......................................................................................................................................... 41

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    5

    Elemental MagicScientists tell us all matter is simply made of atoms. These atoms are

    made of protons, neutrons and electrons. And these charged particles

    are made of quarks, and these quarks are made of As scientists break

    down the bonds of matter and energy looking for the forces that bind

    the universe together, the Elemental Mages have found it: magic.

    Elemental magic is the manipulation of the fundamental magical forcesbinding together the six elemental forces of earth, air, fire, water,

    prime and void, plus the twelve para-elemental forces which lie

    between each elemental realm.

    Each realm has an opposite: fire/water, earth/air, prime void, and so on

    through the para-elements. The relationships are best described by a

    sphere, with prime and void at top and bottom, earth, air, fire and

    water along the sides. Drawings are along the side of this page focusing

    on each element and showing their relationships with nearby elements

    and para-elements. Since we can only see half a sphere at a time,

    opposed elements do not appear, so in the first drawing for Earth the

    element and para-elements ofAirdo not appear.

    An elemental mage, or elementalist, can draw these elements within

    themselves and use that power to affect the world around them. Each

    scene starts with a certain number of elementals. These can be:

    Undeclared not manifesting as a particular elemental.

    Declared / Free manifesting as a particular elemental but not

    under control.

    Controlled under the control of an elementalist.

    The elementalist first draws the elemental to them. Then can use its

    powers/actions. Another elementalist can contest this control taking

    declared or controlled elementals away from the elementalist.

    Prime

    Void

    rMagma

    ud

    Mineral

    Dust

    Earth

    Prime

    Void

    r

    Sm

    okea

    g

    a

    Radiance

    Ash

    Fire

    Prime

    Void

    irIce

    S

    oke

    Lightning

    Vacuum

    Air

    Prime

    Void

    irMudIc

    e

    Steam

    Salt

    Water

    Water

    Fire

    Air

    Lightning

    ineral

    Steam

    Radiance

    Prime

    Water

    Fire

    irEarth

    Dust

    acuu

    Salt

    Ash

    Void

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    6

    Elementalist Levels

    There are three levels of elemental mage.

    Initiates are beginning elementalists that have

    yet to choose an element to specialize in.

    Affinities have reached an affinity with certain

    elements, often having a particular elemental

    with them at all times.

    Master elementalists have bonded with one

    particular elemental, becoming expert in one

    realm, while forever sealing themselves off

    from the opposing realm.

    Elemental Magic in Action

    In elemental magic, there are two types of actions: normal actions and elemental actions.

    Normal actions occupy the normal action in a round. For the elementalist, normal actions revolve

    around collecting and preparing elementals for use. Their normal dice roll pool is the elementalists

    talent plus their skill for the particular elemental they are trying to affect. If more than one

    elemental type is affected, use the lowest skill. For example: Rex (Talent 4, Earth 3, Water 2) is

    attempting to draw a mud elemental (water + earth). His mundane dice pool would be 6.

    Elemental actions can occur at the same time as normal actions. They represent the exertion of the

    casters will upon the elementals they control. The elemental dice roll pool is equal to the number of

    elementals the magus wants to use from their pool. You cannot use more dice than your talent per

    turn, but you can build up for a larger effect over several turns (never greater than your resolve).

    See the section on Elemental Actions for more details.

    Elemental Pools

    Elemental actions may not take the place of a normal action, but they do require an elementalist to

    have elementals under their control. Elementalists have a maximum

    number of elementals they can control, known as their control pool.

    This control pool is broken into two types (base pool and elemental

    pools).

    The base pool size is based on a casters Resolve trait. Initiates have a

    base pool equal to their Resolve, Affinities have a base pool equal to

    three times their resolve, and Masters have a base pool equal to five

    times their resolve.

    Once the base pool is full, the elementalist will start filling their

    elemental pools. Elementalist can move elementals between pools for

    no cost or actions.

    Each elementalist gets two elemental pools, one for each of their top elemental magic skills. If the

    elementalist has equal skill levels, they may choose which elemental pool they want. They can only

    Can only manipulate elementals ofone type at a time.

    Initiate

    Can manipulate all elementals, buthave established an affinity with onetype which is always with them.

    Affinity

    Can manipulate all elementals butcannot control the element oppositetheir affinity.

    Masters are bonded with theirelemental affinity.

    Master

    Master5xResolve

    Afinity3xResolve

    Initiate1xResolve

    Base Pool Size

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    change this choice when they acquire a new elemental magic skill. The pool size is the same as their

    skill points, and elemental pools can only hold elementals of that type.

    Elemental Balance

    The control pool is represented by

    a small hex map with a radius

    equaled to the elementalistswits

    plus their highest elemental magic

    skill.

    The Master or Affinity mages

    bound elemental, or the Initiates

    first drawn elemental is placed at

    the center.

    Each new elemental drawn into

    control is placed on a map in a hex

    touching an existing elemental.

    When placing elementals:

    Fire and Water cannot touch

    Prime and Void cannot be within two hexes of each other.

    Air and Earth can touch.

    If an elemental cannot be placed on the map, control of it is lost. When any elemental is removed

    from the map, you can move elementals to fix the map if needed. You can move a number of

    elementals equal to your intelligence attribute per turn, anywhere on your control map.

    If any elemental on the map is still in violation of placement rules, a reaction roll (1d10 per

    elemental) is made and success means control is maintained for this turn. A reaction role is also

    made for any elemental not aligned with an Initiates first element each turn.

    Elementals and Technology

    We know you really like your new iPhone, but

    holding too many elementals can hurt

    technology in your presence (5-10 hex radius).

    Using the table to the right, treat elementals of

    prime and void as twice as many as other

    elementals. Treat electrical elementals as threetimes as many.

    The elementalist can reduce the effects by one level on the chart per 4 successes on a meditation

    roll (composure + wits). Meditation takes 30 minutes per roll, and effects last for the length of the

    meditation plus half that time again. Any successes over 4 can be used to reduce the time it takes to

    be put in a meditative state by 15 minutes. Combat will cancel all effects without a successful

    composure roll each turn.

    Elementals

    Present

    Small(Cell

    Phones,

    Computers)

    Medium(Stoplights,Neon

    Signs)

    Large(Generators,

    Cars,

    Transformers)

    5 glitch no effect no effect

    10 fry glitch no effect

    15 melt fry glitch

    20 melt fry

    25 melt

    EF

    E

    WE

    W

    FAffinity:

    Earth

    Rex (Wits:2, Resolve:3

    Talent: 4

    Fire: 1 Earth: 3 Prime

    Air: 0 Water: 2 Void:

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    Jack (wits: 3, composure: 2, resolve: 2) is holding 9 elementals in his pool. When he draws in the 10th

    elemental, he attempts to meditate and after 2 rolls (the maximum allowed by his resolve) has 5

    successes. The meditation took 45 minutes (30 per roll minus 15 minutes for fifth success) and the

    effects (electronics in the area will only glitch, not fry) and will last for half an hour.

    Jill (wits: 5, composure: 5, resolve: 3) is not holding any elementals. She meditates and gets 14

    successes after 3 rolls, thanks to her meditation mix on her iPod (+2 dice per roll). Of her 14

    successes, 6 reduce her meditation time from 90 minutes to a single action, and the other 8 reduce

    the glitch effect of her elementals by two levels. The meditation still lasts for half the original length

    of 90 minutes, or 45 minutes.

    Elemental Powers

    Gathering Power

    Action Type Rank Description

    Sense Zero Phase All Detect elementals in the area.

    Normal All Get details of elementals controlled by an elementalist.

    Elemental All Detect elements up to 30 hexes per success.

    Pickup Zero Phase All Any undeclared or free elemental in the same hex as the

    elementalist may be brought into control as a free action as long as

    the element is not the target of a current draw.

    Draw Normal All Cause an undeclared and free elemental to make their max

    movement toward the elementalist. When they reach the

    elementalist, they are controlled and removed from the board, to

    be place in the casters pool.

    Release Zero Phase All Release any and all elementals under your control at any time. They

    will tend to move away from the controlling elementalist, and from

    one another, especially if they are reactive or opposed. You can

    release a number of elementals equal to their magic talent per turn.

    Using Pickup or Drawon an undeclared elemental will force it to manifest as the element willed by

    the caster. If two elementalists attempt to draw the same elemental, this is a contested elemental

    magic role. It is possible to take a controlled elemental from another elementalist, but this is difficult

    (-3).

    If the controlled elemental is your opponents affinity, then difficulty is -5 dice and distance

    penalties apply. This can only be attempted if your target has no other drawn elementals. It is

    possible to use elemental actions of the same kind to offset this difficulty. When released the

    affinity elemental will always return to their owner. When an Initiate draws in and controls an

    elemental that is not aligned (the same as all the others they control), they must turn that elemental

    on their next action or lose it.

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    A magus may add elemental actions to increase their dice pool, but can never invite more

    elementals then their combined talent and skill per roll or per turn. Inviting can be made more

    difficult by conditions of the area.

    Other Elementalists

    Action Type Rank Description

    Connect Normal +

    Elemental

    All The elementalist with a successful touch attack may give a number

    of elementals up to their talent per turn to another willing magus.

    Surge Normal +

    Elemental

    All By spending one willpower each, up to four connected

    elementalists may roll as may dice for their normal and elemental

    actions as they wish.

    Connect and Surge both require a successful touch attack to establish contact. As long as the touch

    connection is maintained, the willing target can exceed their own pool sizes as long as the total

    pools of touching elementalist is not exceeded. When connection is broken, any elementals over the

    max pools of the elementalist are released.

    With Surge, each connected magus rolls with the main elementalist. The main elementalist can add

    the assisting magis successes as dice to their own pool for one and only one effect roll to happen

    the same round. These additional die given can never be greater than the contributing magis talent+ skill.

    For each contributed success generated from the normal pool, the contributing magus losses that

    level of magic until they rest. For each contributed elemental success, the contributing magus loses

    the elemental as if it was released and purged.

    For every three added dice to the main elementalists pool, they must roll a die. If this roll does not

    succeed, they take one lethal damage.

    Action Type Rank Description

    Disjunct Elemental-3 All The elementalist can reduce elemental dice pools of one othermagus in line of sight after a successful contested willpower roll.

    Pool is reduced by the number of Elemental Actions used.

    The -3 penalty can be reduced with the Counter Magus (1-5 points) merit. Each point of merit

    reduces the penalty by 1, into the positive range. This merit at level 5 will give the Elementalist a +2

    bonus.

    A +2 bonus is also given if elemental action pool is aligned (same element as target) and +4 if the

    elemental action pool is opposite to target. Effects last until targeted elementalist acts. The

    elemental actions are tied up until then. If either elementalist leaves the scene, the disjunctor can

    choose to lose the elementals in their pool and continue the effect, or keep the elementals. Disjunct

    is not cumulative and can only applies once to a target. Choose the largest of the multiple disjuncts

    in effect.

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    Altering the World Around You

    Action Type Rank Description

    Control Elemental

    -1

    All The elementalist can cause elemental material to move or change

    shape. This can be used for defense or attack. Defense gets a +1.

    Control can also be used to provide minor immunity to the effects

    of an elemental material. Fine manipulation may require additional

    penalties.

    Convert Elemental

    -2

    All The elementalist can cause elemental material to change, but only

    within the element's range itself. So an earth elemental materiallike steel could be changed to tin, copper or gold. Change will last

    hour per success. Elementalists can spend a point of willpower to

    make these changes permanent. Complex changes may require a

    craft roll and possibly additional penalties

    Combine Elemental

    -3

    All The elementalist can join two or more elemental materials to a

    form a para-elemental material. So water and air could be

    elementally combined to form ice. This requires elemental actions

    for both element types.

    Separate Elemental

    -3

    All The elementalist can separate a para-elemental material into its

    base elemental materials. The elementalist has free control over

    the elemental material on his next action. So ash could be

    separated into fire and void.

    A reaction role is performed for the other elements let loose and

    the elementalist has no control over it or its para-elemental by-

    products.

    Create Elemental

    -4

    Affinity

    Master

    The elementalist can create elemental material up to 1 hex per

    success. The elementalist has free control over the elemental

    material on his next action.

    Destroy Elemental

    -4

    Affinity

    Master

    The elementalist can destroy elemental material. Up to 1 hex per

    level.

    Moving Between Planes

    Action Type Rank Description

    Gate Elemental

    -6

    Affinity

    Master

    The elementalist can form a gateway between this plane and the

    elemental plane of the element used. If less than 15 elemental

    successes are achieved, the gate is not visible or traversable by

    being of our plane. Gate lasts for success number of turns.

    The gates direction is chosen at time of creation. Inbound gates with release a number of elemental

    based on a dice pool for gate creation successes. Outbound gates will draw then same number of

    elements per turn.

    Traversable gates will lead to the elemental plane. All controlled elementals not aligned to thatplane will perish or be expelled when the elementalist crosses into the elemental plane and moves

    more than three hexes from the gates entrance.

    It is possible to cast a second gate, through the first, back to a different location on our plane. If the

    two gates are close enough (within 3 hexes) then no ill environmental effects of the plane are felt.

    Making a gate end up where you want it is controlled by the Planar Understanding skill plus wits, if

    rushed, or intelligence, if not.

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    Sight & Sound

    Action Type Rank Description

    Commune Elemental

    -4

    Master The master elementalist can communicate with elementals here

    or at any distance. For distance communication the elementalist

    only needs know the elementals true name or true name of the

    bound master elementalist. With this communication the

    Elementalist can ask the elemental to do tasks, but it is the

    elemental that decides if it wants to.

    Sight Elemental-5

    Master The master elementalist can see through the eyes of an elemental(either manifested or not). The elemental must be within line of

    sight to cast, but can move any distance after that. Duration is 15

    minutes per success.

    Physical Manifestations

    Action Type Rank Description

    Manifest Elemental

    -6

    Master The master elementalist can cause a non-controlled elemental to

    physical manifest. This elemental is visible and corporal. The

    elementalist gets a free control action next turn.

    Command Elemental

    -6

    Master The master elementalist can force a physically manifested

    elemental to do their will. Control lasts 1 hour per success, but

    never longer than 24 hours.

    Elemental

    Form

    Elemental

    -7

    Master The master elementalist can take the form of their bound

    elemental. This transformation lasts one hour per success.

    Physically manifested elements fill the hex they are in with elemental material. Elementals stay for

    10 minutes per success. A willpower can be spent to increase this to 1 hour per success. 3 willpower

    spent can make this permanent. If the elemental is not under control it can leave of its own volition.

    Manifested elementals automatically draw all undeclared and free elementals in the area.

    When a magus takes on an Elemental Form, this gives them totally immunity to that element and

    that elemental plane. The elementalist can also attack like a manifested elemental. Master

    Elementalist in elemental form cannot be Turned, Drawn, Commandedor Purged. Commune is

    possible. The master Elementalist can also use Commune to talk with humans on this or other

    planes, but only while in elemental form and only if they know a humans current true name.

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    Ritual MagicAll elementalists, and some others (hedge mages), can perform ritual magic. This form of magic

    takes time to cast and cant be done during combat or other distracting conditions. What is most

    important is that details of rituals conform to the Paradigm of the Magus. Each magus has an

    ingrained perception of how ritual magic works. This framework is wrapped by the cultural ideas

    the magus believes in and manifests how the ritual would be unique for each different magus.

    Examples of cultural frameworks areJewish Kabala,American Indian, Egyptian, Neo Pagan and

    Nordic RuneMagic. It is quite common for master and student to have different frameworks. A

    good master leads the student toward ritual magic in terms they already understand. Belief in the

    system is more important than the details of how it all works especially when first learning.

    Laws of Magic

    All ritual magic, no matter the form, follow certain universal rules. Collectively known as the laws of

    magic. They are:

    I. The Law of World Views

    The world we perceive is actually the interface of the unknowable, objective (Universal)

    reality and the subjective reality within us all. Changing your world view does not change

    the eternal real world but it does change the perceived world. This is important because the

    perceived world is the world we touch, see, and act upon.

    Because there are an infinite number of ways to perceive the world, there are an infinite

    number of worlds we may assemble with our awareness. The true is unknowable to us. You

    can become one with the universe but you cannot step back and observe it, because you are

    in it. You cannot observe a phenomenon without altering it by your mode of perception.

    There is no such thing as an independent observer. To participate in creating the world by

    perceiving it.

    II. The Law of Attention

    The more evidence one looks for to support a given law, conclusion, or world view the more

    one will find. Since we create our world each moment, we are constantly maintaining our

    worldview. This is done by means of a recursive internal dialogue of words and symbols with

    which we constantly edit our perceptions. Repetition of patterns enforce a world view

    because worldviews have inertia. To quote Lewis Carroll, what I tell you three times is

    true.

    III. The Law of Synchronicity

    Meaningful coincidences that occur which cannot be described by the laws of cause and

    effect may hint at a dialogue between the perceiver in the consciousness of the universe.

    This dialogue is overt to the degree the perceiver is receptive to or aware of it. These events

    seem to be connected by pattern or meaning rather than time.

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    IV. The Law of Relative Truth

    Every statement is true in one sense, false in one sense and meaningless in another. This is a

    function of one's vantage point (world view). In the words of Hassan Ibn Sabbah, Nothing is

    true. Everything is permissible.

    V. The Law of Pragmatism

    If it works, it is true. The worldview is only valid if it enables its perceivers to accomplishtheir goals. The more successful a worldview is in fulfilling the goal structure that its viewers

    possesses, the more valid it could be said to be. By this definition, few people could be said

    to be completely insane. However, few people could be said to be completely sane, either.

    VI. The Law of Paradox

    No worldview may encompass the whole world. Two models may conflict with each other

    and still be true in their proper context. Two people may experience the same events they

    perceive entirely different occurrences. Rationality is limited by the intellect, the world is

    not. The world is not bound by the confines of our worldviews. When someone perceives

    events that fall outside of their worldview, that person will have a motivational drive to

    reduce this dissonance by either changing their worldview to fit the new facts or by

    rationalizing that the events they perceive never occurred.

    VII. The Law of Unity

    Everything throughout all space and time is linked, either directly or indirectly, to everything

    else.

    VIII. The Law of Reflection

    The microcosm is the macrocosm. The part contains the whole. As above is as below. Everyspeck contains the image or pattern of the whole and of the entire universe in the same way

    a seed contains the whole tree. Each being or person contains this cosmic image. When the

    inner image is brought into resonance with the outer image, a change in one will be

    simultaneous with the change in the other and to perceive one is to perceive the other. The

    universe is within us and without us.

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    IX. The Law of Association

    If two things have something in common, then either thing can be used to influence the

    other. The more they have in common, the more influence they exert upon the other.

    Corollaries of this are the law of similarity and the law of contagion.

    X. The Law of Similarity

    Cause and effect resembled or have a resonance with one another. Your ritual to cause arainstorm may involve dripping water onto the ground. A ritual to fly may involve wearing

    feathers and chirping like a bird, and so forth. This is also known as sympathetic magick.

    XI. The Law of Contagion

    Things once in contact continue to interact after separation. Anything once in contact with a

    substance, person or object may be used as a witness for that substance, person or object

    in a ritual. A good example would be the tradition of using hair or nail clippings attached to a

    voodoo doll. This is also known as homeopathic magick.

    XII. The Law of Connection

    Every action is an exchange of energy. To have power over something is for it to have power

    over you. To oppose something is to maintain it. Two opposites each contain the essence of

    the other.

    XIII. The Law of Synthesis

    Any two opposing forces or concepts may be unified in a force or concept that will contain

    both the original opposites.

    XIV. The Law of Duality

    Any concept or force may be divided into two totally opposite concepts or forces, each of

    which contains the essence of the other. Opposites can only be defined in relationship to

    each other.

    XV. The Law of Personification

    Any concept, force, object or phenomenon may be considered to be alive, to have a

    personality, to be an entity. Any concept, force or object which manifest as an entity can

    and should be treated as a real being. These beings are patterns which can also be viewed as

    objectified aspects of ourselves, but is useless (perhaps even dangerous) to take this

    attitude when actually dealing with them. Do not be fooled just because something is only

    the personification of a pattern of energies. Remember you can be described this way too.

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    XVI. The Law of Interfaces

    Power exists in the interfaces of things. These are the between places that are not entirely

    one thing or another. Traditionally, these places included case, grottoes, towers, mountains,

    beaches, wells, crossroads and cliffs. All the chief times of change of the day are also

    considered to be powerful. They are dawn, noon, twilight (sunset) and midnight. Likewise

    the solstices and equinoxes have always been thought to be very important. There is a

    medieval legend that if a woman wished to become a witch she need only remove her

    clothes and stand between the high- and low-tide marks at the seashore.

    XVII. The Law of Words and Symbols

    There are words and symbols that are able to change the inner and or outer realities of

    those using or perceiving them. These words or symbols do not necessarily need to be

    consciously understood by those using or perceiving them in order to have their effect. One

    view is that these words or symbols have accumulated power through use or attention over

    thousands of years. Others would say that there is an intrinsic primordial connection or

    resonance between these words or symbols in the forces or concept there are represent

    that goes beyond current worldviews or understanding.

    XVIII. The Law of Names

    Any name is the thing named. This is to say that, in some way, there is an analogical

    correspondence between the name and the thing named. There is a connection created by

    shared structure. To know the true name of a person, place or thing is to have complete

    control over it. Of course, you could never command something to do anything which was

    not in its nature. Because people are capable of changing, their true name changes also.

    Because of this, it is impossible to know a person's true name for very long. What most

    people consider to be a common name in a magical sense is only a label. As a corollary to

    this law, if you know something's true name then you also know its nature.

    XIX. The Law of Labeling

    When you label something, you exclude information about it. This is because the thing

    becomes obscured by other information stored under the label for the thing. When you

    symbolize something, you impose the deep structure of the symbol system used on the way

    you perceive the thing symbolized. There is a Japanese proverb which relates to the

    confusing of the moon with the finger pointing to the moon. People tend to believe that

    they understand something when they have a name for it. This is called nominalization. It

    enables people to take very ill-define concepts and continually process and talk about themas if they were concrete things. The problem is that frequently even the users of these terms

    (names) do not know what they mean. Nominalization is an important tool. However, we

    must realize when we are using it.

    XX. The Law of Symbolic Information

    The more information contained in the symbol of the more general or vague it becomes.

    The more specific a symbolic system is, the more information it excludes.

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    XXI. The Law of Pattern and Knowledge

    Information can be viewed as a measure of the unpredictability of a message. The more

    unpredictable a message is, the more information it contains. In systems, the most is rest or

    dispersion of available energy. Since systems tended toward entropy, is that of potential

    work. Plus, we can think of degrees of order in a system as the amount of energy in it. From

    this we can say:

    Pattern is Information.

    Information is Energy.

    Knowledge is Power.

    The more information you have, the less energy you need. Some people have defined life as

    negative entropy because it develops greater and greater complexity of pattern. In this

    sense, the universe becomes more intelligent every day.

    XXII. The Law of Intelligence

    Any pattern of sufficient complexity will act intelligent when treated as an entity. A pattern

    more complex than ourselves could be said to be more intelligent than we are.

    Common ritual practices

    Purification: Many rituals are preceded by some action intended to cleanse the participant of

    spiritual or mental impurities and unwanted influences, and to focus the attention on the operation

    about to be performed. Purification may take the form of vigil or fast, or may actually be a literal

    cleansing. Some rituals also have a purification performed during the closing also to remove

    unwanted influences.

    Circling: Circling as a formal method of establishing a sacred space and sacred time in which theritual may be performed. The separation of the sacred from the profane is essential for any orderly

    working, because it also separates the inner from the outer, the magic from the mundane. The

    circles are boundaries and interfaces. They may be used to provide stability, protection, installation

    and focus.

    Incantation: Such as the power of language that anything stated in words has some magical effect,

    however small.

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    Ritual Magic in Action

    The magus ritual skill represents the starting dice pool they can use for ritual magic and the

    maximum final level of the ritual. They also can never use more dice in a ritual than twice their ritual

    skill.

    The magus first spends one willpower toward the ritual. The magus can then choose how many dice

    they wish to use. Each die represents 30 minutes of ritual. Modifiers do not affect the timing of the

    ritual.

    Any successes rolled above two means the ritual succeeds. The additional successes, known as the

    ritual level, determine the magnitude of the effect. The magus may choose to reduce the time the

    ritual takes by spending level points to reducing the time. The ritual

    takes one hour less for each level reduced. If the ritual time is reduced

    to none, then the ritual can be completed in 1d10+5 turns. Additional

    levels can be used to reduce the +5 but never the results of the 1d10.

    For extremely long rituals, stamina rolls must be made according to the

    table on the right. Willpower can be spent in the normal fashion to

    help with these rolls. Failure means the ritual was not performedcorrectly and no effects manifest.

    Example: With 4 successes rolled on 10 dice, a magus could perform a level 2 ritual in 5 hours or a

    level 1 ritual in 4 hours depending on how vital time is.

    A ritual will by default last 1 hour per level

    after casting is complete. At each sunrise as

    dictated to the left, 1d10 is rolled with a

    success meaning the ritual continues.

    Willpower can be spent during the ritual

    casting to increase duration (per chart left).

    Any willpower spent is additional dice

    added to the sunrise roll. Sunrise rolls

    frequency is listed in the chart below also.

    Permanent rituals only need one roll per

    year on the anniversary of their casting at 5 willpower spent and half as frequently thereafter. For

    the chart; treat months as lunar, and years as solar when calculating the actual days. Sunrise rolls

    can be skipped if the object of the ritual is not on our plane (gate power or pocket universe ritual)

    when sunrise occurs, but with time possibly traveling at different rates extra dimensional, this may

    not be a good thing.

    Time Roll

    5th hour Stamina

    8th hour Stamina -1

    12th hour Stamina -2

    14th hour Stamina -3

    16th hour Stamina -4

    18th hour Stamina -5

    20th

    hour Stamina -622nd hour Stamina -8

    24th hour Stamina -9

    Willpower Duration

    0 1 hour (roll daily)

    1 24 hours (roll daily)

    2 1 week (roll daily)

    3 1 month (roll daily)

    4 1 year (roll monthly)

    5 permanent (roll yearly)

    6 permanent (roll every 2 years)

    7 permanent (roll every 4 years)

    8 permanent (roll every 8 years)

    9 permanent (no sunshine roll needed)

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    Some common modifiers are (remember modifiers dont affect time):

    Meditation + successes on the Mediation roll if ritual occurs as

    soon as meditation is complete

    Preparation of the ritual area +1 to +3 (+1 for each hour of preparation over the

    first)

    Preparation rushed -1 per every 15 minutes under an hour

    Permanent circle +3

    High quality materials (gold, gems) +1 to +3 (GM discretion)Items in ritual not handmade -5

    You witness (in person) items being

    made

    +2

    You make the items yourself +5

    Items are not your framework -8

    Recasting against successful ritual -3

    Recasting against a failed ritual -5

    Calling the corners with real

    elementals

    +5

    A bad connection (if required) -5 to -10

    Magus elemental pool is not balanced -1 per non-paired elemental in your pool.

    Magus has one of each element +3

    Magus has one of each para-elemental +3

    Magus has one of each quasi-

    elemental

    +3

    Merit: Ritual Master +1 to +5

    Flaw: Cant Ritual out of a paper bag -1 to -5

    Recasting

    It is possible to recast a ritual to try to increase its level and/or duration. Recasting incurs a three

    dice penalty for each recasting attempt. The resulting new casting rituals level is divided by 3 (round

    down) and added to the existing rituals level up to a max of the maguss ritual skill. Willpower can

    be spent the same way. Every three points of willpower count as one additional point toward the

    original casting. A ritual can never be recast more times than the maguss resolve attribute.

    Ritual Disruption

    Rituals are like intricate machines made of glass. They are difficult to construct, but very simple to

    destroy. Any magus can make an intelligence + ritual skill roll to figure out the best way to fold the

    ritual. Failure or a botch means it blows up in your face, but you still stop it.

    Magic Items

    Magical items can be created with the proper rituals. The item to be enchanted must be handmade(witnessed) and of good quality. No more than one ritual can be applied to an object at any time.

    Magical items are good for once a day (one use only if duration is not extended). The Magus can

    trade one point of level for twice the uses per day (max of 16

    uses per day). A magical item normally needs an hour charge

    between uses. The Magus can trade one point of level to

    half this time. In the other direction, the Magus can make an

    item that takes longer to charge but operates at an

    increased level (never over their ritual skill level, see chart

    Two days to charge +1 to level

    One week to charge +2 to level

    Two weeks to charge +3 to level

    Four weeks to charge +4 to level

    Eight weeks to

    change

    +5 to level

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    below). This increase of duration adds one hour per level gained to the casting time.

    Magical objects have an activation trigger created during the casting. Common triggers are vocal,

    gesture, incoming damage, being handled or in proximity to a specific person (connection needed in

    casting) and use as the object was intended.

    Potions

    Potions are another form of magical item and are created using the same rules. The potion

    ingredients are best if naturally occurring or handmade. Potions act as one-time delayed use magical

    item with a limited shelf life. Potions lose 1d10 divided by 2 levels every sunrise. Willpower cannot

    make potions last longer.

    Common rituals

    Healing Heal one level per level of the ritual.

    Curative With 3 levels cure any normal ailment, 5 levels or higher for super natural

    ailmentsProtection ProvideXlevels of protection from one thing (fire, cold, bashing damage)

    chosen at casting time.

    Environmental With 3 levels or more, change the weather or environment (wind, rain,

    snow, fog, darkness, light); with 5 levels or more change it is a dangerous

    way (tornados, flooding rains, hail). With the appropriate levels you can stop

    the effect too.

    Locate / Track Each level doubles the range you can search for an item or person. Starting

    range for 1 success is 20 yards. A connection to the object or person is

    required.

    Summoning

    (extra-dimensionally)

    GM determines the required casting level. Name is required. Also, look at

    creating a barrier to hold the entity and possible a control to compel it. Thisis not dark magic, but can not looked upon literally.

    Travel

    (physical)

    Each level doubles the distance. Base distance 1 mile. Connection to the

    target location is required.

    Travel (astral) Magus with 5 levels or above can travel astrally with in our own realm. With

    7 levels or above they can travel beyond.

    Glamour With less than 3 levels, the magus can change subtle features (eye color, ear

    shape, nose slope) of themselves. With 3 levels or more they can appear to

    be a different person. With 5 levels or more, they can be a specific person

    (connection required). At 8 levels or more, they can appear as something

    non-human, but still roughly human sized.

    Pocket

    Universe

    The magus can create a space that is in our universe but has its own set of

    laws. Common examples include elemental training rings where people do

    not suffer from harm and storage places for dangerous or volatile items.

    The GM determines the required casting level.

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    Barrier The magus can create a barrier to keep one type of creature in or out, but

    not both. This target creature and the direction must be determined at

    casting time and cannot be changed. The barrier is only solid to this target

    and anything else can cross as if it is not there. Care must be taken not to

    disturb the items maintaining the barrier or the barrier will fail.

    To the intended target the barrier acts as a wall with a durability rating of

    1/3 (round down) of the casting level and a structure rating equaled to the

    casting level. Barriers are normally cylindrical in shape with a radius of

    level2

    yards, but can be changed by moving levels between durability andradius.

    Increasing the radius of the barrier will have a negative effect on its

    durability or a barrier protecting a smaller space will be harder to penetrate.

    For example, with a 10th level ritual, the magus can create:

    A small, tough 1 yard, 16 durability (12 yard X 19/3 durability) barrier

    A normal 100 yard, 3 durability (102X10/3) barrier

    Or an expansive, brittle 361 yard, 0 durability (192 X 1/3) barrier.

    If this ritual is cast to create a magical item, then a minimum of five identical

    items are required to form points on a circle. These items will require one

    action to place and one action each to activate.

    Circle of

    Protection

    (lesser)

    The magus can create a circle that will cause harm to one type of creature.

    This circle will causelevel

    /3 (round down) bashing damage each turn. The

    circles radius is level2. Like the Barrier, the levels can be moved around (see

    above).

    Circle of

    Protection

    (Greater)

    The magus can create a circle of protection like the lesser one above, but

    this circle will do lethal damage instead of bashing. A connection to the

    target creature type is required.

    Magical

    Barometer

    The magus can setup a sensory (bell, light, warmth, cold, vibration) indicator

    for some condition, e.g. buzz in the presences of vampires, have the cross

    glow if in the presence of someone with faith greater than 5, be warm to the

    touch if a elementalist is present, or be cold to the touch if I am being

    watched.

    The condition and the effect are set at time of casting and cannot bechanged after. The effects of the ritual cannot cause harm, but only indicate

    the condition. The ritual is only effective at a distance of level yards. Caster

    can spend three levels to make effects directional.

    Dark Magic Rituals

    (The below rituals are forbidden from player characters and may, depending on background, not be

    known about at all)

    Control Compel an extra-dimensional creature to do your will.

    Bind Fuse an extra dimensional creature to a physical object allowing the object to

    act as a fetterDimensional

    rift

    The Magus can open a rift to another extra-planar location. Five successes are

    needed for the inner planes, Nine successes for the Fey realms and near

    ethereal plane. 12 successes for the far ethereal and Astral planes. 15

    successes for any location on the outer planes.

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    Major Players

    LightBringers

    And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good;

    and God separated the light from the darkness.

    Genesis 1:3-4

    Collectively, the LightBringers represent goodness in all its many forms. Although various groups do

    not always agree in methods or principles, all are dedicated to the eradication of evil.

    The Church

    And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build

    my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail

    against it.

    Mathew 16:18

    Make for Me a Sanctuary and I shall dwell among them...

    Exodus 25:8

    The Church is the frontline soldier in the ongoing war against evil.

    They wage the campaigns, organize the funding, and build the strongholds (churches). The Church

    first came into existence when early tribal chiefs gave their people the ability to hold out against the

    darkness. Now, the Church is organized along religious lines, with the most powerful figures at the

    top (e.g. the Pope of the Roman Catholics). Interdenominational cooperation normally only happens

    at the lowest level, where a neighboring church, mosque, or synagogue might come to the aid of

    others, though old wounds and rivalries make this less and less common. This lack of coordination at

    all levels has hurt the overall battle in recent years.

    Individual members have no intrinsic powers other than the faith they wield. As a group of three or

    more, they can consecrate land or objects. Consecration repeals creatures tainted by evil and the

    undead, damaging or killing them if they come in contact with it. Conversely, ghosts lured onto

    consecrated land fall into an eternal sleep and eventually sink into the ground.

    To Consecrate an object to area, the first two priests roll their faith. Any successes they get are

    added to the dice pool of the third priest plus any bonuses for the area or objects. The number of

    successes rolled by the third priest is the objects or locations new faith value. Consecrationrequires three willpower points (can be divided up any way among the priests) and can only be re-

    consecrated once per month. An additional bonus of 1 die per every 5 months of re-consecration is

    added to the pool (dont think to hard about the Vatican)

    Creatures of Darkness suffer lethal damage per turn equal to the faith roll of the object/place, minus

    their taint rating. Ghosts lose willpower per turn equal to the faith roll of the object/place minus

    their willpower. When a ghost has no willpower left they will sink into a sleep and eventually sink

    into the ground. If the holy object is removed or the ghost is rescued from the holy place, they

    will heal this lost willpower like bashing damage. People acting in the presence of holy objects or

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    on holy ground in a way that supports the intentions of the place/object can add their personal faith

    dice towards one roll once per session. The faith dice added cannot be greater than the faith of the

    object or place.

    Examples:

    Father OToole

    Priest at St. Michaels Cathedral: He tends his flock and prevents the spread of evil in his

    parish and raises money for the bigger fight.

    Casey Douglas

    Demon Hunter : Armed with blessed weapons, holy water and a Vatican expense account, he

    hunted down and destroys vampiric and demonic infestations.

    The White Hand

    Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of thechurch to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the

    name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will

    make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he

    has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your

    sins to each other and pray for each other so that you

    may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful

    and effective

    James 5:14-16

    The White Hand is a sect of spiritual healers. Spread around the world, they work in secret healing

    the injured and caring for the infirm. The White Hand recruits mostly children and the occasional

    wild talent. Young recruitment ensures the correct religious disposition of its members. Training is

    harsh and mastery takes a life time making young initiation all the more important.

    The order recognizes four degrees of training: Initiate, Pathseeker, Cleric, Master. Initiates learn

    about conventional medicine (i.e. bandaging, stitching, splinting, etc). As a Pathseeker, they learn

    to take injury or illness away from a suffering person and into themselves. As Clerics, they learn to

    heal themselves as well as give that healing to other individuals they touch. Masters of the White

    Hand are deep wells of healing energy and can radiate this energy to their followers.

    On a successful faith roll, the White Hand healer (Pathseeker and above) can take the wounds from

    a person and apply it to themselves. Pathseekers can only heal bashing wounds, and Masters can

    heal aggravated wounds. All White Hand heal at an accelerated rate. Twice as fast for Initiate,

    three times as fast for Pathseekers, four times as fast for Clerics and five times as fast for the

    Master.

    Masters seem to have 3 times their normal health stat. This is only used for healing purpose and

    never for damage they receive themselves. If they are down of their normal health stat due to

    injury, then recalculate the size of the extra health pool. If the pool cannot hold all the extra

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    damage, apply it to the base health but dont recalculate again. The master should be careful not to

    take injury away from someone into their base health poll because this will cause the pool to shrink

    also. The White Hand may attempt to heal each type of damage once per 24 hour period per target.

    If the White Hand rolls too well, they can choose not to accept all the damage. For each point of

    damage they choose not to accept a dice is rolled with success meaning they take the damage

    anyway.

    Angels

    And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it

    is wonderful?"

    Judges 13:18

    Angels are the messengers of God. They carry light and goodness into the

    darkness and fight the forces of evil. All out open warfare has not been

    seen since the 1st

    century. Now the battle is like cold war Germany with

    spies, plans, sabotage, secret drops and of course the occasional

    assassination. Each Angels nature and task are defined by the choir they

    belong to.

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    The Seraphim are considered in this system to be the highest ranking angels and sit atthe hand of God. They spend most of their time continually chanting "Sanctus,Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth" (which translates pretty much into "Holy,Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the entire earth is full of His Glory"). They are associatedwith healing fire, are said to have sixteen faces and a radiance which makes itimpossible for any creature, or other angel, to look upon them. They are also usually

    described as having three pairs of wings.

    The Seraphim

    Mentioned in Exodus 25 as having carved the figures (or simply having been thefigures depending on the biblical translation) for the Ark of the Covenant, also said tohave been posted at the entrance to Paradise after Adam and Eve were politely askedto leave. They are said to have two pairs of wings and four faces and stand for eternalvigilance and knowledge. Sometimes they are said to drive God's chariot for him,serve as a bookkeeping service, and maintain the hosts of heaven.

    The Cherubim

    "The many eyed ones who serve as the wheels of the chariot of God." Sometimescalled the Ophanim, they are said to have been assigned the task of fulfilling thejustice of God. Their power lies in humility. Although they are said to shine as brightlyas the Seraphim and the Cherubim, their humility allows them to objectively passjudgments on behalf of God.

    The Thrones

    Administrator types who are said to prefer wearing green and gold outfits and carryboth a sword and a scepter. They regulate the work of other angels and keep a closewatch on even the most intimately small details of existence.

    The Dominations

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    Angels are incorporeal beings on our plane. In this form they can travel great speeds and distances,

    crossing the world in seconds. In darkness, they are limited to 200 yards a turn. Angels cannot be in

    darkness (out of natural light) in their incorporeal forms. Darkness will harm them at the rate of 1

    bashing wound per turn. Holy objects or places will protect Angels from this damage.

    They are capable of creating human bodies with 30 successes on an extended faith roll (each roll

    representing 3 hours time) and spending 3 willpower points. It is possible to create a spare body,

    but an unoccupied body will need 10 additional faith roll successes and 1 additional willpower point

    Also said to perform administrative duties similar to those of the Dominations, but theyare most specifically assigned to the details of our world and the cosmos. They are said tokeep planets and stars moving in their proper order and looking after the weather onearth. They also are said to do a bit of work with bestowing character, such as valor andtruth, in the souls of mortals. They are the patron angels of saints. According to ThomasAquinas they regulate miracles as well.

    The Virtues

    Sometimes referred to as the Authorities, they are said to have the task of hitting demonsover the head if they attempt to take control of the world. They guard the pathwaysbetween heaven and earth and assist humans in resisting temptation. It is this class ofangels that Lucifer is said to have once been, and the class from which he drew hisgreatest following during the fall from grace.

    The Powers

    Said to look over the goings-on in cities, towns, houses and any structure that containshumans, they are said to be given fairly frequent permission to deal one-on-one withmortals. They work forms of miracles that are overlooked generally and greeted as "hey,an odd thing just happened... how strange, I guess everything is going to work out afterall." They hold the power to move the hearts and minds of humankind when deemednecessary. They tend to aim for guiding and regulating the ideas of world leaders formaximum results.

    The Principalities

    The most historically ambiguous of the angels, sometimes considered leaders of theentire angel command. This stems from the original angel hierarchy where there were

    only two types of angels, Archangels and run-of-the-mill Angels. In Dionysius' model theyserve the Will of God in direct relation to mortals. Their close association with mankindleads to their low ranking in this model. They are field commanders in the battle againstevil and the fallen angels under Satan's command. To mankind they impart comfort,solace and inner strength through unconditional love, usually in the darkest moments.

    The Archangels

    They don't get a special name, although sometimes they are called the Guardians orGuardian Angels. They are said to focus on being caretakers for mortal humans. Theirposition is said to be no lower than that of the Seraphim in the eyes of God and they arecontent with their position in the choir.

    The Angels

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    each week. Failure to upkeep a body will cause it to dissolve to goo in under a day. Once this process

    starts the body cannot be saved. Also once an Angel is in a body they cannot leave it until the body

    is destroyed, which is a painful and abhorrent process the Angel will not undertake willingly.

    Angels can use faith skill to boost any physical skills. While they are doing this those faith dice cant

    be used for anything else and the Angel is effectively at the lower faith level. Also, any object the

    Angel wields or holds out in front of them is considered a holy object of equal faith to the Angel.

    Dropped objects lose faith at a rate of one point every 10 minutes.

    Angelic healing is direct, unlike the White Hand, but works on a similar scale. The Angel, on a

    successful faith roll, can remove twice the rolled successes of bashing damage, once the rolled

    successes of lethal damage, or half the rolled successes of aggravated damage. The Angel may

    attempt to heal each type of damage once per 24 hour period per target.

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    Lords Of Darkness

    Darkness falls across the land

    The midnight hour is close at hand

    Creatures crawl in search of blood

    To terrorize y'alls neighborhood

    Thriller - MJ

    The Lords of Darkness strive for wickedness and evil to prevail. They wish the world to be plunged

    into the permanent darkness of the Masters shadow and will not stop until all good and light is

    removed from this world.

    The Cult

    All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come

    only from the senses.

    Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

    The Cult stands against The Church. It strives to give evil a foothold in

    this world. Though much less organized and fragmented, its guerrilla

    and sleep cell techniques make it a dangerous adversary. They charm

    the disenfranchised to join cults of personality, deface houses of god,

    and tempt men of the cloth with taboos (lust, greed, even food).

    Where the cults flourish, a devil is not too far away. The may not work in the spotlight, but they will

    pull the puppet strings from behind. The members of cults have no powers in game terms. They

    may have a few magic items, given by the devils, but the members cant even produce taint. They

    are cannon fodder up against things they cannot and do not wish to understand.

    Devils and Demons

    and do not give the devil a foothold.

    Ephesians 4:27

    Followers of the original fallen angel, these malevolent

    creatures seek to corrupt mankind and spread evil throughout

    the world. They work from the shadows and the darkness,

    which they prefer, and stir up trouble. They form a constantly

    shifting power based hierarchy, where each Demon knows his placeand who he will have to kill to move up.

    Demons typically have a particular sin that is attached to their nature. They work hardest to

    promote their particular sin. Common sins are Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride.

    A Demon can read a person to learn their sin or vice. This is a contested roll (Manipulation +

    Subterfuge vs. targets willpower). If the sin matches the demons, they can subtly influence a target

    to want to indulge in that sin. To resist, target rolls their willpower and they need to get successes

    greater than the demons taint the targets faith.

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    The Fallen

    I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden

    wealth of secret places

    Isaiah 45:3

    Humans corrupted by the power and lure of evil. Their

    corruption does not happen overnight. It is a slow process

    where a demon or devil tempts the person with more and

    more power until the person loses their very humanity. For

    each taint die rolled against the fallen person, they

    permanently lose one faith point. When they are out of

    faith they start losing willpower point. They will not realize

    they have lost any points until it is too late. When all willpower points are gone, they will be under

    the control of the demon or devil. At which point their skin will rot and their mind will go a mad

    zombie insane. The demons voice is the only one they will listen to. Like some kind of loyal dog.

    Vampires

    The blood is the life of the flesh

    Leviticus 17:11

    Vampires are a form of demon that was trapped corporeally

    and found they could infect others. There are 3 or 4 know

    species of vampire. All vampires do not cast a reflection and

    get one quick initiative bonus per scene.

    White Vampires feed on one kind of emotion (lust, anger,

    sorrow, etc.). They can walk in sunlight and are not affected

    by any other movie vampire myths. White Vampires appear

    to be beautiful people (not as pretty as the High Fey, but

    close). They are not stronger than normal, but can heal much

    faster when they feed.

    White Vampirism is passed on to the children of the vampire and non-vampires. At puberty, 1 in a

    100 half vampire children will change over. White vampires tend to form tight family groups and use

    money and power to hide.

    Red Vampires feed on blood. They take one lethal damage per turn in sunlight and can be

    immobilized by a wooden stake through the heart. They are harmed by fire and holy water, but not

    holy symbols. Red Vampires only take bashing damage from lethal attacks and lethal damage from

    aggravated attacks except were mentioned above. Most are more animal than person, always

    hunting for prey.

    Red Vampirism is a blood disease passed on during the vampires bite. A bitten person rolls a dice

    pool equal to the most health levels they are down in the first 30 minutes after the attack. Any

    successes and the personal is a half vampire. Holy water can be drank (-3 dice) and/or put on the

    wound (-2 dice). Drinking blood will complete the transformation of the victim into a full vampire.

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    Black Vampires feed on the souls and rotten corpses of others. They take one aggravated damage

    per turn in sunlight, are allergic to garlic, silver, holy symbols, fire, and open running water. They are

    killed instantly by decapitation or stake through the solar plexus by a properly crafted silver / copper

    Babylonian weapon called the nannaru-sukurru (Akkadian for moon spear)

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    Children of Chaos

    Cause as much chaos and disruption as possible but dont let them take you ALIVE

    Sid Vicious

    Other than a complete lack of order and a common enemy of the Technocracy nothing holds this

    group of misanthropes together. Most dont work with other let

    alone know that the others exist.

    The Touched

    I couldn't live forever, I wouldn't if I could: But I needn't fret

    about it, For I couldn't if I would. I see the tree, planted

    when I was born, now just dead wood. I may couldnt and I

    may wouldnt, but death will still not visit my door and his

    tea is getting cold.

    Jeremiah Malkav (1324 AD - ???)

    What does it mean to live forever? To never die? The human mind

    is not prepared for this reality. The Touched, sometimes called the

    children of Malkav ,suffer this. They cannot ever be killed. Death is not permanent. They will rise

    once their bodies mend themselves, even after what we would call death. The more damage, the

    longer it could take. Some young malkavians that were torn to shreds have taken 50 years to heal.

    The shock of dying over and over again leaves all malkavians mentally disturbed. They have at least

    one permanent derangement if not more. If this is not bad enough, they can project illusions that

    seem entirely real to those around them. There are also claims that some malkavians may be able to

    read minds. The malkavian will continue to age until their first death when they will age

    backwards to what they looked like at 25 years old. From there they will age forward to 50 and then

    back to 25 again.

    No matter what their appearance, they will always be in the peak of physical health. No one is quite

    sure if this aging appearance is just another illusion they subconsciously wear or how they really

    look. In systems terms, the malkavian heals at a very fast rate. The formula to calculate how long, L,

    it will take a malkavian will heal wounds, W, is

    TheXfactor of a malkavian is his age divided by 75 years (round down, 1 if age

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    Chaotician

    Predictability: Does the flap of a butterfly's

    wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?

    Edward Lorenz

    A small group of mathematicians that broke from the

    Technocracy and are in hiding, they have found a

    loophole in the laws of the universe that lets them

    control probability or at least which quantum

    universe they or those around them end up in. Most

    have trained themselves where they dont need technology and can perform these feats

    themselves. A few beginners still rely on the technology with makes it easier for the technocracy to

    track. Generally they maintain very low profiles and hide from the ever searching technocracy. If

    anyone gets close to their research results they will recruit or eliminate them. The group stays in

    contact through ghost irc servers and truly random encryption keys.

    For game play, they can, by spending a willpower point, ask for any (their own or others) dice roll to

    be re-rolled. Additional willpower points can be spent to increase or reduce a pool before it is rolled.A stamina + resolve spent willpower roll is made. Failure means they take bashing damage. They

    also have an almost magical ability to break any code or solve any word, number or language puzzle

    with a successful extended wits + science roll.

    The Fey

    If we shadows have offended,

    Think but this, and all is mended,

    That you have but slumber'd here

    While these visions did appear.

    And this weak and idle theme,

    No more yielding but a dream,

    Robin Goodfellow - A Midsummer Night's Dream - William

    Shakespeare

    The fey are creatures tied to nature, which inhabit our plane and

    the planes beyond. High Fey look almost alien with how beautiful

    they are. Lower Fey come in too many forms to catalog here.

    They are divided in to two courts: Seelie and Unseelie.

    TheSeelie

    fairies favor summer, warmth, plant life and are generally helpful, if not mischievous, to

    people. Common Seelie fairies are hobgoblins, brownies, ferrishyn, selkies, leprachauns and trents.

    The Unseelie fairies favor winter, cold, ice and snow and like to see people suffer through physically

    or mental torture. Common Unseelie fairies are bogies, bogles, boggars, abbylubbers, trolls and frost

    giants.

    Not many fairies still exist on our plane. Very small creatures, that carry out tasks for nature, still

    persist. Changelings (children of fairy and human lineage) also live among us. The rest have moved

    to the Fey realms carved from the Ethereal planes. Here they rule and are plentiful, organized into

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    the separate courts. A fairy may not wish to be part of court life, but if the queen commands they

    must follow and it is common for them to be called into the fey army which constantly fights.

    Most (if not all) Fey are allergic to cold iron and take great damage from it. To enter a pact with the

    Fey is probably insane, but if you want to there is the Flaw: Fairy Pact (+1 to +5). They will always

    keep their word, but the issue is that they will have twisted means for the words that they gave and

    hold you to do things that you really dont want to do.

    It also cannot be stressed enough. NEVER, EVER eat food or drink offered to you by the Fey. They

    will use this to trap you and they make you bargain your freedom for a pact or worse just keep you

    as a plaything. A Fey will never tell a complete lie, but will always mix it with the truth and present it

    in a misleading fashion. Fey are creatures of pure magic and this is very true of the High Fey. They

    can do with a thought, what a magus could not even attempt as a ritual. Their capricious nature

    makes them best to be avoided.

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    The Technocratic Order

    01101111 01110010 01100100 01101111 00100000 01110011 01110101 01110000

    01100101 01110010 00100000 01110100 01101111 01110100 01110101 01110011 (ordo

    super totus)

    System 674

    The technocratic order is only interested in two things: Power and Order. It will stop at nothing to

    reach these goals. They control and create most of the technology we see, spoon feeding it to us

    slowly always keeping the advantage to themselves. They see most supernaturals as a threat to their

    power base and to the sciences they use to predict and control the masses.

    Virtual Adepts

    Moores Law states The processing power of a

    computer doubles every six months. Our

    technology is 15 years better then yours. That being

    said, let me add this little fact: AYBABTU

    Wh!t3Panda

    The VAs are computer console jockeys and hackers. They

    have the equipment and the elite skills to do what needs to

    be done. They process information and reshape the digital

    reality of our world and provide operation support for the

    agents. They are happy to find targets digitally, track them via satellite or street cameras, listen in to

    cell phone calls, redirect police to other locations and stop news coverage. VAs also provide tech

    support services for the other divisions of the Technocracy.

    They mostly dont like to hang out in the real world. Preferring instead to spend most of their timeliving in remote secret bunkers/dorms stocked with all the junk food, Buffy DVDs and video games

    any nerd would need. Dorm sizes range from 10 to 100 hackers. Cleaning, cooking and other

    support staff are, of course, provided. While not technically vampires, they will need to wear

    sunglasses when outdoor and a high SPF sunscreen is a must. The most hated task of a VA is field

    work. After being shanghaied by agents and put in the back of a tech van. They could spend weeks

    on a field op with bad food, bad company and people yelling at them to stop playing game and

    focus. Not to mention, being shot at

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    Dimensional Engineering Corp

    This planet is under constant threat of dimensional incursion. Beasties and nasties from who knows

    where are opening portals.The brave heroes of the DEC follow the 4 Cs:

    Syndicate

    Money controls everyone. If you control the money, youcontrol everyone else

    Find me a man without a price and I will give it to him

    Some rich guy that you will never meet

    The Syndicate control people through money. There are behind the big banks and many major

    corporations. Although they dont control governments directly, they can exert great pressure by

    exploiting graft, causing currency fluctuations and bankrupting whole countries. Through penalties

    and contracts they have most of the world over a barrel and the world does not even know it. This is

    one of the most secretive groups of the technocracy. Most in the technocracy only know them as

    Financial Services, a branch full of paper-pushers and lowly accountants, but they control all the

    money and all the allocations. They control which project will succeed and which project will gettheir funding cut.

    This is a group not to be crossed. The will drain every penny you or anyone close to you has. Then

    when you are homeless in a box under the bridge, they will start thinking of mean things to do to

    you like demolish the bridge.

    Progenitors

    The Progenitors are the biotech wing of the technocracy. They are obsessed with all genetics,

    cloning and crafting new and better creatures. They are for the most part without ethics and have

    Curedimensional tears before they happen. Using special wave

    emitters it is possible to prevent the tear from opening in thefirst place. Find and shore up weak places in the ether is a

    constant activity.

    Containan open tear, so that creatures from beyond can not

    contaminate our planet. Also the public has to be evacuatedand protected from the tear.

    Closethe tear at all cost. The DEC uses voidships for this task, becausethe tear must be sealed from the side it was opened on. Many a

    brave void engineer is still lost in the beyond, but with theconstantly improving technology there is always hope.

    Captureany creatures from the other side for study or autopsy. Alsocapture and lock up any beings that can cause dimensional

    instability for their own safety and the safety of others.

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    no issues with experimentation with humans. Many a person has disappeared only to end up on a

    Progenitors lab table, either harvested for parts, given a fatal illness with an untested cure, or

    turned into some kind of monster. Agent intervention and Syndicate oversight are the only things

    keeping the Progenitors from going too far, too often.

    Agents

    Agents are working stiffs of the Technocracy. They take orders through their hierarchy from the

    Iteration. They get tech and equipment from the other branches. They are the firefighters and

    police. They contain or eliminate most supernatural activities.

    The Iteration

    Not much is known about what lies at the heart of the Technocracy, but if you ask any member, they

    will tell you the Iteration is change. The Iteration is believed to be some kind of super computer or

    maybe a group of supercomputers. It is rumored that the Iteration can not only predict human

    movement, actions and futures; but that it is already controlling and changing them. Supernatural

    beings play into this somehow, but again little is known and none return.

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    Elementalists

    Some people are born with the ability to control and command elemental forces. Without training,

    most of these people will never know they have this ability. Those that receive training are thrust

    into a world of Mage politics and supernatural creatures. The Elementalist does not control the

    elements directly, but through an exchange of energies with elemental creatures that visit our

    plane. For details on what elementals can do, see the elemental magic chapter earlier in this book.

    Elementalists can recognize others of their kind by the elementals that move around them. They

    can recognize potentials the same way.

    The Elementals have followed a feudal hierarchy with the highest level being the Council of Vienna,

    a group of 7 of the most powerful elementalists in the world. Each Elemental master has dominion

    over an area that is spelled out in the Unseelie Accords. The Elementalist Master authority is

    supreme in their area, but they acquiesce authority to the council in larger matters. Currently there

    are only about 60 elemental masters operating outside of Vienna, mostly in the old world. Cities

    known to have had a master include:

    Mumbai, Shanghai, Karachi, Delhi, Istanbul, So,Paulo, Moscow, Seoul, Beijing,

    Mexico City, Tokyo, Jakarta, New York City, Wuhan, Lagos, Kinshasa, Lima, London,

    Bogot, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Hong,Kong, Dhaka, Cairo, Guangzhou, Lahore,

    Bangalore, Tianjin, Kolkata, Santiago, Singapore, Chongqing, Chennai, Saint

    Petersburg, Surat, Riyadh, Alexandria, Shenyang, Yangon, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad,

    Ankara, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Abidjan, Yokohama, Cape Town, Berlin, Pune,

    Madrid, Kanpur, Jaipur, Buenos Aires, Nairobi, Jedda and Houston.

    There is an informal web of loyalty and friendship between the masters, but there are also great

    rivalries and feuding. Elementalist Masters train others, so they build a group of followers,

    protectors and soldiers to attack their enemies. Most Masters are very, very rich and live in very

    fortified manors or castles. Some lose touch with our world and focus on the elemental planes

    more and more casting off physical possessions and ignoring people and social conventions.

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    People of Note

    Houston

    Domino

    Your Boss (I hope you know her), Elemental Master (Earth), reclusive business

    woman, owns and lives in the Houston Mega Mall (locally called the Pleasure Dome

    because of the stone statues and poem inscribe at the entrances. She also has a

    Doctorate in Material Science and helped create a near room temperature super

    conductor, which she used to build the Triangle, a mag-lev subway system between