World of Darkness: Balance of Power - Mage Venue sheet

[Daven_OOC NPCRM #1]

Part 1: Basic Information

Venue Name: All that glitters IS magic

Venue: Mage

Lead Venue Storyteller: Daven_OOC

Part 2: Styles of Play

Action: Combat and challenges 2

Character Development: Personal dilemmas and choices 4

Darkness: PC death or corruption 4

Drama: Ceremony and grand story 2

Intrigue: Politics and negotiation 4

Manners: Social etiquette and peer pressure 2

Mystery: Enigmas and investigation 5

Pace: How fast do stories emerge, develop, and resolve? 3

1 ~ Never present

2 ~ Sometimes present

3 ~ Often present

4 ~ Usually present

5 ~ Always present

Part 3: Description of Venue

For the past thirty years the Seers of the Throne have risen up in ever increasing numbers around the world. Most metropolis are constantly fought over between the Seers and the tower mages; most smaller cities are held by either one or the other. Right now is not a good time to be a mage of the watch towers; recently though discreet messages have been going out to many mages who do not follow the Seers. These messages have pointed out that Kansas City and its surrounding communities have been mostly untouched by mages on both sides. This can be a place to build a new stronghold and prepare for what ever is coming.

Part 4: Known NPCs

There is one primary cabal in KC that everyone believes is responsible for the messages going out. The cabal consists of four mages:

Watcher - Mastigos Mysterium - Watcher is a very old mage who is mostly known for being a man with knowledge. He acts like everyone's grandfather and has made it clear his home is open to any as long as they remain peaceful there.

Evidence - Moros Guardian of the Veil - Evidence is a mage most wish they hadn't met. Every bad rumor you have ever heard of Guardians you believe he has taken a part in. The man seems to have no issue with confrontation and is quite direct about warning a fellow mage if they are on a course that will lead to him having to kill them.

Sprite - Acanthus Adamantium Arrow - If Evidence is the creepy one in the group and Watcher is the smart one of the group, then Sprite can only be called the impulsive member of the group. She is constantly rushing around and often interrupting others engaged in a long explanation right as they are getting to the point to demand that they hurry up. She seems to live each day with the belief everything will work out, just 'cus.

Chimera - Thyrsus Silver Ladder - The leader of the cabal called the Shadow Council, Chimera is a serious mage who in recent years has seemed to have lost a great deal of her humor. She is often quite dour and concerns her self mostly with what recently has granted the Seers so much new power and energy. Though kind, Chimera is usually a bit forward, believing it is only good to follow ceremony until you are wasting time doing it.

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As a note to everyone with the opening of a fourth venue I am opening up one additional 50xp character slot. If you already have a baseline character in another venue you would like to increase to 50xp please consult that venues ST to work it out. Although we have not set any hard limits on spending xp for the most part, we will not allow large expenditures in the middle of a plot thread unless they are very fitting to the story.

Also for the time being this post is for the purpose of giving people information to make characters. Please submit them to me but hold off on starting any fictions just yet. I will put up a shout when I am opening the gates for mage stories.

[The Story Guide]

Who's up for making a cabal either pre-start or as part of the opening get together that I assume will happen?

I'm looking at playing an Obrimos (Forces focused), probably a brand new mage without an Order yet (leaning for him to probably end up Mysterium or Free Council).

[Rorx]

Can do - Will be creating an Adamanite Arrow, but not sure on the balance of spheres (or whatever they call them now)

[Jewel Starglass]

I wouldn't mind starting or going with a Cabal from the get go, I was looking at possibly Obrimos(Prime Focused), but I might go with Thyris or Acanthus instead, if your looking at Obrimos. Order wise, Adamanite Arrow, or Mysterium, not sure which, but if Rorx is looking at Arrow, I'll look a the Mysterium.

[The Story Guide]

With Mage especially, I wouldn't worry too much about an overlap of Spheres/Paths. The powers and what you can do with them are so varied, I doubt we'll ever really have 'toe-stepping' issue. Run with what sounds fun, the details will take care of themselves. Ditto on the Orders, and having a clump of one Order or another in the game just gives the ST a place to start when designing storylines.

The one thing I really do want for my character is that he's -very- new to the mage thing. Not necessarily the clueless-oh-god-here-are-very-very-basics (mostly 'cause that gets boring a repetitive real quick), but at the start of this game if he knows any other mages, it'll only be his cabal. He'll never have attended a caucus or whatever the meetings are called, and I'll probably have him as a base starting character.

Anybody else with ideas? Anyone need some help on coming up with an idea or questions about the general Mage setting?

[Jewel Starglass]

I think I'll go with Mysterium, that way if your leaning that way, we can encourage Rorx to be the martial arm of the Cabal *winks*. As to path, the only ones I really wouldn't want to do are Mastigos or Moros, I like all of the ones I named.

We might want to consider the areas in the Cabal by Role, as they do in the Sanctum and Sigil book, I actually found that fairly cool. Though we don't have to use it, but here's the way it was broken down, if you want a look. And yes, one could hold more then one roll in a cabal, or have several folks in a role.

Farseeker ("Scrounger"); Duty - Gather resources for the Cabal, Hunter needed things, care for physical Needs(Hand)

Doorwarden ("Bouncer"); Duty - Protect the Cabal from external threats, Guardian, Warrior (Fist)

Hearthmaster ("Guide"); Duty - Maintaining the Cabal's Sanctum, Healer and Confessor, tends the Mental Health of Cabal(Heart)

Lorekeeper("Scribe"); Duty - Keeper of History and Knowledge, Protectors of Lore, keeper of mystical knowledge (Head)

Edgetender ("Hexer"); Duty - tend the Mystical Landscape around the Cabal, care for enchanted items brought in by Hand (Eyes)

[Rorx]

Well if it's any guide in OWoD I usually played an Akashic Brotherhood or a Euthanatos

Having said the Akashic's main spheres were actually Mind and Correspondance, and he had just started spreading out into the other spheres...

In general though I agree he will end up being a Hand and/or Fist for the Cabal, although if he gets Life high enough possibly a semi guide as well

[Charlie Cole]

I myself was thinking of an Obrimos, Prime-focused, Free Council, been around for at least a few years as a Mage. I would like that type of spot, Jewel, as I'm trying to reboot chars rather than create more, and this is the best reflection of the character I think.

Roles- Hand and/or Fist

[The Story Guide]

Remiel will probably end up Eyes/Guide, at least in personality and personal philosophy. He's an explorer and hates getting into fights or conflict in general.

Rorx - I usually play Euthanotos or Virtual Adept in oWoD Mage, or a Void Engineer if we're playing Technocrats.

[Rorx]

Moros Adamantine Arrow now decided.

Unfortunately wife (non-gamer) intruding on my time - hope to finish off later.

[Jewel Starglass]

Alright, Thyrsus or Arcanthus it is then..

can't quite decide on which I prefer..

[Jewel Starglass]

Ok, made up my mind, Mysterium Thyrsus Mage

[Rorx]

So who is in for a starting Cabal and any sharing of Merits?

I got Sanctum 2 up for sharing...and I suppose teh Library 1

[Charlie Cole]

I am. I added in a dot of Sanctum Security, and one for a Hallow.

Edit: my sheet is in

[Rorx]

Michael Hunter - Moros Adamantine Arrow

Martial Artist and Medical student/intern

Just finishing off his XP and Rotes.

Library 2, Sanctum Size 2 up for sharing

Should have sheet in tonight (next 8 hours )

[Jewel Starglass]

I'll drop in 2 points to shared Hollow

Caitlynn Serus - Thyrsus Mysterium

Doctor, Veterinarian, Psychologist, Shapechanger

Most likely the Circle Heart

Life 4, still considering other spheres, so not yet turned in.

[SalmonMax]

Seems we still need a Scribe. Now that I have some clarity, finally, as to what I'm wanting to do with BoP in general, I humbly ask to submit a mage who would fit that description well.

Acanthus Mysterium, I believe...with a focus in Time and perhaps Fate.

Hee...guess I'd better make sure no one else is doing that.

[Jewel Starglass]

No one else is Acanthus, as far as I know, so far.

[Charlie Cole]

Charlie Cole

Obrimos Free Council

Ex-gang member with a new purpose

Prime 4, plus Fate 2, Forces 1

And as I said before, Sanctum Security 1, plus one dot for the Hollow.

[Justin OOC]

Obrimos Adamantine Arrow here (Forces Focus) I'd be up for being part of an established Cabal

Add Sanctum 1, Hallow 1

[The Story Guide]

So, five people with mage character ideas. Anyone else got an idea percolating? It'd be awesome if we could have at least one full cabal (usually 4 to 5 people), maybe even two.

[Charlie Cole]

4-5 for a full cabal? Jewel, Rorx, Justin, me. That's 4 already, plus you would make 5 Mala. Your wish, at least at the very minimum, has already come true.

[Charlie Cole]

For the Cabal right now forming, on our Sanctum:

Sanctum Size 2

Sanctum Security 2

Library 2

Hallow 4

Edit: All fixed now, shared dots from me, Rorx, Justin and Jewel.

[Rorx]

Will have to edit submission as I forgot his Resources, but Michael will end up having

Death 3

Matter 2

Life 2

and a total of 14 dots in Rotes

[z018]

Hmn...so, in finishing up my mage, I don't think he'd have gotten into a cabal yet. You guys seem to have the workings a fine (and fairly well statted) cabal already. If it's okay with you all, I'll bow Remiel out (for now), and pay the new guy on the scene for the opening of the venue.

He'll probably end up in a cabal, but he's a base character right now and doesn't bring much to the table. I'd like to keep him that way for the start of the game and build him up as the game goes.

[Rorx]

Wel if we are going to be an established cabal (in members if not in location,) we better sort out how we came to be that way.

Put together by our Orders expressly for KC? Or formed up elsewhere and moved to KC when we heard it was practically empty?

[Daven_OOC NPCRM #1]

Based on the history of the venue no mage can have been in KC for any longer than a couple of months by the new years start thread. So if you want to have your cabal to have formed in the city than it is extremely new.

[Rorx]

From the background I gave Dav - Mike has recently started at KC to do Medicine on transfer from Sports Physiotherapy at a different Uni/City. He is 21, and I guess back in the 1st year, unless he can transfer enough credits from the degree he had almost finished when he was nearly killed in a car crash (he still has the scars, deliberately so, but a full recovery). I suppose he might be in the 2nd year?

Either way he would have been in KC since Sept/Oct start of the year. This could have been with the rest of the Cabal or as part of a front team to prepare the way for the others....?

[Charlie Cole]

It's easier to justify Charlie. He's been in KC his entire life. That simple for him. I suppose he's hooked up with the rest of the cabal as a way of protection and support.

[Daven_OOC NPCRM #1]

Quick note guys as I am looking through sheets. Many people have sanctum and hallow dots invested in shared.

First make sure all your sanctum dots are denoting size/security.

Second everyone please start discussing either on this thread or in chat how many dots of all three you are investing. I believe you guys might be around 7 hallow dots now and if you want that it is fine but you will need to work out with me how those are split up.

To start no pc is aware of a level 5 hallow in KC. However the size of the city suggest there is most likely at least 2 of them if not more. Level 4's are a bit more common but also many of them are radiating around WW locust so if people want to have one of those you will need to as a group talk to me which we can arrange in chat or do through PM.

I am mostly fine with people holding level 3 hallows as in a city this big there are a dozen or so. Level 1 and 2 hallows I am very lax about but we will need to work out their locations.

Remember that the major downside of hallows is you have to watch them, and maintain them. Like WW locust hallows draw in spirits and generally have an aura to them. Now if your mage is not concerned with what feelings your hallow is giving off then you don't really have to worry about maintenance. Also remember hallows strengths are based off ley lines and in KC right now with the amount of development going on ley lines can change which means unless you are doing something to keep your hallow strong it is possible for it to weaken.

Final note on dots vs. what you have - I will never take your dots away from you. I will say this again. I WILL NEVER TAKE YOUR DOTS AWAY. What may happen from time to time though is through out the game you may lose access to some of the benefit for the time and have to do a couple things to get it back. One example would be if a hallow is taken away from a cabal. You do not lose those hallow dots but your pc's will have to either re acquire the hallow or find a new one to get the mana from it back.

[Charlie Cole]

Ok. I vote a Lv 3 Hallow and a Lv 2 Hallow.

[Caitlynn Serais]

Hello folks, Minerva (Caitlynn) here

Donated to the Cabal 2 points in Hollow

Also added 1 Point in Sanctum (Size)

A Level 3 and Level 2 Hollow seems like a good idea, something near nature would be good also *winks*

[Rorx]

On a practical note the Sanctum should have the biggest hallow inside it's confines or grounds.

Ok so Mike arrived in KC in October, and Charlie was already here.. what about the rest of you.... Did we just meet up here by chance/ourselves, or was it arranged by our Orders?

[Caitlynn Serais]

I think Caitlynn likely would be introduced to the cabal by the Mysterium.

[Charlie Cole]

Quote:

[Carver] 5:52 pm: Though, if you want that set up, you guys could have been put together to work on a task by
the local orders, then found you worked together well enough to form a cabal.

Quote:

[Rorx] 5:58 pm: mages from within the same Orders could have met during their training... then get sent in with
Charlie as a local contact.. then form a Cabal after helping each other out on something...

Edit: I'm recording all the good suggestions into this post for general consideration.

[Charlie Cole]

Updated Version of shared Sanctum elements:

Sanctum Size 3

Sanctum Security 2

Library 2

Hallow 5

Edit: more input from Caitlyn

[Caitlynn Serais]

I sort of like the idea of having formed a cabal after we worked together on a task or two.

[Charlie Cole]

Ok, I'll assume 2 yeas for option 2, I don't care which is picked, so 3 yeas. Justin, do you agree with this sort of background?

[Kaien]

Kaien's lived in KC for almost two decades, having been born in San Francisco.

It's likely that Charlie and Kaien would know each other. Especially as both are Obrimos.

I'm fine with Split Hallows and the larger being the one within the sanctum.

Shadow name- Raiden

[Charlie Cole]

Ok, sounds like Option 2 is for the best. Dav, when we can, I think we're going to set up a background fic for establishing the Cabal.