08-18-2013, 01:17 AM
Hello again! My group will soon be playing Mages in the nWoD setting, the Infinite Macabre--a nWoD space opera. Because we've never played Mage: the Awakening, and I've yet to test out the new God-Machine Chronicles rules-update, I will be soloing a prologue for my character, a Free Council Obrimos named Tesla. His character sheet's not completely finished, but here's what I got so far:
Name: Tesla
Path: Obrimos
Virtue:
Vice:
Intelligence 3
Wits 3
Resolve 3
Strength 2
Dexterity 2
Stamina 2
Presence 2
Manipulation 3
Composure 2
MENTAL (-3 Unskilled)
Academics 1
Computer 3
Crafts 2 (technology)
Investigation 1
Medicine
Occult 1
Politics
Science 2
PHYSICAL (-1 Unskilled)
Athletics 1
Brawl
Drive 1 (Pilot)
Firearms 2
Larceny 1 (security systems)
Stealth 2
Survival
Weaponry
SOCIAL (-1 Unskilled)
Animal Ken
Empathy
Expression
Intimidation
Persuasion 2
Socialize
Streetwise 1
Subterfuge 2
MERITS
High Speech
Fast Talking: Always be Closing 1
HEALTH 7
WILLPOWER 5
Init: (4)
Defense: (2)
Armor: 0 (2 with Unseen Shield)
Speed: (9)
Gnosis 2
Mana 7
Forces 2
Matter 2
Prime 2
Rotes: Alter Conductivity - Matter 1 - Int+Sci+Matter 6d
Tune In - Forces 1 - Int+Sci+Forces 7d
Transmission - Forces 2 -
Dispel Magic - Prime 1 - Int+Occ+Prime vs Spell’s potency 5d
The first session ends up being a bit of a prologue to the prologue. The stage is set, the cards are dealt...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Introduce a new NPC.
Block.
Balance.
What balance?
Propose / Benefits.
Two supernatural factions?
Yes, and...
Hopelessly / Faded.
The Silver Ladder has held a firm grasp on its power over the mages of Ossium for as long as most mages can remember. Recent events, however, have severely atrophied the Order's grasp on the Consilium; loss of political influence, loss of key Hallows, and, most devastatingly, loss of several of its Masters. A coup is in the works, and Tesla's Order, the Free Council, stands to gain a great deal of influence in the new arrangement.
Defective artisan who is slightly stronger than you and whose motivation is to encourage the elite, guard spirits, and compel laziness; who speaks of insane accident and is focused on your relics.
(Does he approach Tesla at his home?)
Yes.
(Is it a he?)
No, but...
Tesla is working in his home, an array of circuits and wires spread out on his workbench, when there is a knock at the door. He's shocked to see Ariadne, one of the Silver Ladder's Masters who left the Order some time ago under mysterious circumstances and hadn't been seen, since.
"Good evening, Apprentice Tesla. May I come in?"
Tesla was confused, and slightly worried; her reappearance could spell trouble for the coup. He didn't sense any active spells affecting her, not even a shielding spell. So, whatever the reason for her visit, it didn't appear to be violent. He cautiously waved her in.
"Master Ariadne. To what do I owe the pleasure? Would you like something to drink?"
"Nothing that you'd have, I'm sure." She sat down on the only seat that wasn't covered in spare parts or blueprints, folded her hands in her lap and stared at Tesla like a disappointed mother. "I'm here to stop this takeover nonsense."
Well. There it is. Tesla considered lying only for a second; he was pretty good in the bullshitting department, but he figured there was no way a Master of her stature wouldn't be able to see straight through him. Besides, she wouldn't have come here, come out of hiding, if she didn't already have all the facts. No, she knew. Hell, most of the Silver Ladder mages knew it was inevitable, even if they didn't know the details. The only question was, Why me?
"I'm sorry, Master Ariadne... I know you are--used to be--a Silver Ladder. But, their time is over. The other Orders are ready for a chance, and there's nothing I can do about it, certainly. I'm a nobody--I've barely been at this for a year!" Tesla shrugged apologetically.
"You are not 'nobody.' You are a Theurge on the Path of the Mighty," she asserted, referring to his Path, "never forget that." Then she made a dismissive wave. "And don't think this is about politics, either. I couldn't give a rat's arse about those pompous blowhards in my old Order. No, this is about our society, our fraternity, here on Ossium. These series of unfortunate events that have been plaguing the Silver Ladder are not the golden opportunity the other Orders have been looking for... No, this is the result of a calculated 'divide and conquer.'"
Tesla felt a shiver. Since awakening, he'd been in awe at the power he could wield; so much more so the power his elders had. He'd thought the mages were at the top of the food chain. If someone was subtly turning mages against each other in order to bring them all down... he suddenly felt a little fish in a large pond, again.
"Who?" he asked.
"The Roman Catholics."
It was only Ariadne's age and rank that kept Tesla from openly laughing his disbelief. Vampires in pointy hats? Please.
His incredulity must have shown, for the Master narrowed her eyes.
"The Roman Catholic Kindred are an ancient and powerful faction, Tesla. They have long coveted our dominance of the planet's ley lines and our influence over the government.
"They know they cannot take us on directly; but if we were at war with ourselves... And trust me, young man, it will be war. Do you honestly believe the Guardians of the Veil will be willing to see your Free Council hold equal status with them when the Ladder falls? Or the Arrows? Once mage is set against mage, they will be able to pick us off, cabal by cabal, mage by mage, until there are none of us left."
Tesla frowned. "So why not tell the Consilium? Raise the alarm?"
Ariadne sighed. "They would not believe me. They would see it as a bid at power, an attempt to worm my way back into the Counsilium, maybe even a grasp for Hierarch. And that would just destabilize them more, and make your coup even easier and messier."
"The other Orders-"
"The other Orders would see this as a Silver Ladder scheme; a last ditch effort to make them seem irreplaceable."
"But... that is what you're suggesting, isn't it? Leave the Ladder in charge, do nothing about the stagnation and the corruption?"
"Corruption is preferable to extinction." Ariadne said, flatly.
Tesla scowled. "Then we're damned if we do, damned if we don't, aren't we?"
"Not quite. If the alarm were to be raised..."
"You just listed all the reasons why we can't."
Ariadne held up a finger. "I listed all the reasons why I cannot."
Tesla nearly recoiled with incredulity as he caught Ariadne's reason for coming.
"Why in the world would the listen to ME?"
"For all the reasons you think they won't." She leaned forward, exuding the calm patience of a Master whose student is just on the edge of a breakthrough. "You're not 'nobody,' but you aren't quite yet 'anybody,' at least as far as politics goes. You're young and inexperienced enough that even doing the Consilium a service such as this wouldn't place you in a powerful position, just yet. Maybe on a fast track, yes, but you'd have to be insane to try a stunt like this for so little gain if you couldn't absolutely prove it."
"All I have is your word to go on. Which takes us back to the original problem."
"Obviously, my word alone would not be sufficient. You will need rock solid evidence." Tesla didn't like where this was going. "You will have to visit Longinus' Cathedral for yourself."
Well. There it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next session: Tesla goes to church!
Name: Tesla
Path: Obrimos
Virtue:
Vice:
Intelligence 3
Wits 3
Resolve 3
Strength 2
Dexterity 2
Stamina 2
Presence 2
Manipulation 3
Composure 2
MENTAL (-3 Unskilled)
Academics 1
Computer 3
Crafts 2 (technology)
Investigation 1
Medicine
Occult 1
Politics
Science 2
PHYSICAL (-1 Unskilled)
Athletics 1
Brawl
Drive 1 (Pilot)
Firearms 2
Larceny 1 (security systems)
Stealth 2
Survival
Weaponry
SOCIAL (-1 Unskilled)
Animal Ken
Empathy
Expression
Intimidation
Persuasion 2
Socialize
Streetwise 1
Subterfuge 2
MERITS
High Speech
Fast Talking: Always be Closing 1
HEALTH 7
WILLPOWER 5
Init: (4)
Defense: (2)
Armor: 0 (2 with Unseen Shield)
Speed: (9)
Gnosis 2
Mana 7
Forces 2
Matter 2
Prime 2
Rotes: Alter Conductivity - Matter 1 - Int+Sci+Matter 6d
Tune In - Forces 1 - Int+Sci+Forces 7d
Transmission - Forces 2 -
Dispel Magic - Prime 1 - Int+Occ+Prime vs Spell’s potency 5d
The first session ends up being a bit of a prologue to the prologue. The stage is set, the cards are dealt...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Introduce a new NPC.
Block.
Balance.
What balance?
Propose / Benefits.
Two supernatural factions?
Yes, and...
Hopelessly / Faded.
The Silver Ladder has held a firm grasp on its power over the mages of Ossium for as long as most mages can remember. Recent events, however, have severely atrophied the Order's grasp on the Consilium; loss of political influence, loss of key Hallows, and, most devastatingly, loss of several of its Masters. A coup is in the works, and Tesla's Order, the Free Council, stands to gain a great deal of influence in the new arrangement.
Defective artisan who is slightly stronger than you and whose motivation is to encourage the elite, guard spirits, and compel laziness; who speaks of insane accident and is focused on your relics.
(Does he approach Tesla at his home?)
Yes.
(Is it a he?)
No, but...
Tesla is working in his home, an array of circuits and wires spread out on his workbench, when there is a knock at the door. He's shocked to see Ariadne, one of the Silver Ladder's Masters who left the Order some time ago under mysterious circumstances and hadn't been seen, since.
"Good evening, Apprentice Tesla. May I come in?"
Tesla was confused, and slightly worried; her reappearance could spell trouble for the coup. He didn't sense any active spells affecting her, not even a shielding spell. So, whatever the reason for her visit, it didn't appear to be violent. He cautiously waved her in.
"Master Ariadne. To what do I owe the pleasure? Would you like something to drink?"
"Nothing that you'd have, I'm sure." She sat down on the only seat that wasn't covered in spare parts or blueprints, folded her hands in her lap and stared at Tesla like a disappointed mother. "I'm here to stop this takeover nonsense."
Well. There it is. Tesla considered lying only for a second; he was pretty good in the bullshitting department, but he figured there was no way a Master of her stature wouldn't be able to see straight through him. Besides, she wouldn't have come here, come out of hiding, if she didn't already have all the facts. No, she knew. Hell, most of the Silver Ladder mages knew it was inevitable, even if they didn't know the details. The only question was, Why me?
"I'm sorry, Master Ariadne... I know you are--used to be--a Silver Ladder. But, their time is over. The other Orders are ready for a chance, and there's nothing I can do about it, certainly. I'm a nobody--I've barely been at this for a year!" Tesla shrugged apologetically.
"You are not 'nobody.' You are a Theurge on the Path of the Mighty," she asserted, referring to his Path, "never forget that." Then she made a dismissive wave. "And don't think this is about politics, either. I couldn't give a rat's arse about those pompous blowhards in my old Order. No, this is about our society, our fraternity, here on Ossium. These series of unfortunate events that have been plaguing the Silver Ladder are not the golden opportunity the other Orders have been looking for... No, this is the result of a calculated 'divide and conquer.'"
Tesla felt a shiver. Since awakening, he'd been in awe at the power he could wield; so much more so the power his elders had. He'd thought the mages were at the top of the food chain. If someone was subtly turning mages against each other in order to bring them all down... he suddenly felt a little fish in a large pond, again.
"Who?" he asked.
"The Roman Catholics."
It was only Ariadne's age and rank that kept Tesla from openly laughing his disbelief. Vampires in pointy hats? Please.
His incredulity must have shown, for the Master narrowed her eyes.
"The Roman Catholic Kindred are an ancient and powerful faction, Tesla. They have long coveted our dominance of the planet's ley lines and our influence over the government.
"They know they cannot take us on directly; but if we were at war with ourselves... And trust me, young man, it will be war. Do you honestly believe the Guardians of the Veil will be willing to see your Free Council hold equal status with them when the Ladder falls? Or the Arrows? Once mage is set against mage, they will be able to pick us off, cabal by cabal, mage by mage, until there are none of us left."
Tesla frowned. "So why not tell the Consilium? Raise the alarm?"
Ariadne sighed. "They would not believe me. They would see it as a bid at power, an attempt to worm my way back into the Counsilium, maybe even a grasp for Hierarch. And that would just destabilize them more, and make your coup even easier and messier."
"The other Orders-"
"The other Orders would see this as a Silver Ladder scheme; a last ditch effort to make them seem irreplaceable."
"But... that is what you're suggesting, isn't it? Leave the Ladder in charge, do nothing about the stagnation and the corruption?"
"Corruption is preferable to extinction." Ariadne said, flatly.
Tesla scowled. "Then we're damned if we do, damned if we don't, aren't we?"
"Not quite. If the alarm were to be raised..."
"You just listed all the reasons why we can't."
Ariadne held up a finger. "I listed all the reasons why I cannot."
Tesla nearly recoiled with incredulity as he caught Ariadne's reason for coming.
"Why in the world would the listen to ME?"
"For all the reasons you think they won't." She leaned forward, exuding the calm patience of a Master whose student is just on the edge of a breakthrough. "You're not 'nobody,' but you aren't quite yet 'anybody,' at least as far as politics goes. You're young and inexperienced enough that even doing the Consilium a service such as this wouldn't place you in a powerful position, just yet. Maybe on a fast track, yes, but you'd have to be insane to try a stunt like this for so little gain if you couldn't absolutely prove it."
"All I have is your word to go on. Which takes us back to the original problem."
"Obviously, my word alone would not be sufficient. You will need rock solid evidence." Tesla didn't like where this was going. "You will have to visit Longinus' Cathedral for yourself."
Well. There it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next session: Tesla goes to church!