Games - Mage: The Awakening

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	Games - Mage: The Awakening

Mage: The Awakening is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness. The characters portrayed in this game are individuals able to bend or break the commonly-accepted rules of reality to perform subtle or outlandish acts of magic. These characters are broadly referred to as mages. Mage: The Awakening is loosely based on a prior White Wolf product, Mage: The Ascension, which had similar game mechanics though the terminology differs widely. The setting of Mage: The Ascension has been completely replaced, however.

Background and Setting

In the mythic past, a mysterious island existed with a single tower encircled by dragons, and it called to sleeping humanity. Over time the dragons left, and the tower continued to call. Some humans answered the call and sought out the island to see what it promised them. The humans who moved there discovered the first secrets of magic, and through magic they created a mighty city called Atlantis.

But Mages were filled with hubris over what they could achieve and created a Celestial Ladder to reach the heavens and attain greater mastery over the world. Once the ladder was finished and mages began to climb it, there was a conflict over how best to lead the world and over the course of the battle the ladder fell and separated the Earth into the Fallen World and the Supernal Realm, with the chasm of the Abyss in between. The Fallen World is the world of the everyday, and mages have come to understand that it is a Lie.

The Supernal Realm is the truth of reality and the origin of magic; it is ruled by the Exarchs, powerful mages who had successfully climbed the ladder and took control of the Supernal Realm. The Exarchs wish to snuff out the memory of Atlantis and knowledge of magic so they will remain the supreme masters of reality. They are opposed by the Oracles, a small number that also climbed the ladder but opposed the Exarchs' plan to rule reality. They use the power of the Watchtowers to call to humanity in the Fallen World. Fragments of the organizations, artifacts and writings of Atlantis survive to the present day, and mages hope to use this knowledge to further their various causes, though as a whole they hope to gain a stronger connection to the Supernal and oppose the Exarchs' rule.

Characters

Mages "awaken" to the ways of magic. The setting states that it is unclear whether this is mostly accidental or as a result of a person's nature or understanding. The process of awakening can be slow or fast, but there are two major patterns. The Mystery Play is when the potential mage experiences a sort of hallucination full of symbolism and meaning, like a waking dream. Mortals can play a part, though they won't remember acting strangely afterwards. Then there are Astral Journeys, which occur when the potential mage dreams, and common for those who might deny the call of Awakening. Astral Journeys can be very dreamlike, with strange settings, objects, people, and animals that don't need to obey any sort of rules, and can appear, change, or disappear instantly. Each of these two types of Awakenings lead to an encounter with a Watchtower. In a Mystery Play, the Watchtower might be anything: a skyscraper, a phone booth, or a grove. The potential Mage asserts his destiny by writing his name on the watchtower (or carving it, or willing it). In a Mystery Play, this may be in actuality writing his name in a hotel ledger or on a statue's plaque.

Paths

There are five Paths of Magic that have a sympathetic connection to one of the Five Watchtowers, each with a particular style and focussing on certain Arcana.

Acanthus: Scions on the Path of Thistle work with luck, intuition and destiny. Arcana: Fate and Time. Connected to the Watchtower of the Lunargent Thorn in the Realm of Arcadia.
Mastigos: Warlocks on the Path of Scourging work with perception and inner demons. Arcana: Mind and Space. Connected to the Watchtower of the Iron Gauntlet in the Realm of Pandemonium.
Moros: Necromancers on the Path of Doom work with death, mortality and material things. Arcana: Death and Matter. Connected to the Watchtower of the Lead Coin in the Realm of Stygia.
Obrimos: Theurgists on the Path of the Mighty work with the divine energies infusing the world. Arcana: Prime and Forces. Connected to the Watchtower of the Golden Key in the Realm of the Aether.
Thyrsus: Shaman on the Path of Ecstasy work with all aspects of the natural world. Arcana: Life and Spirit. Connected to the Watchtower of the Stone Book in the Realm of the Primal Wild.

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