The Storyteller System was created by: Mark Rein*Hagen
Dedication: This game is dedicated to all those who will not conform just to fit in. Good for you, guys and girls!
Inspirational note: This game was inspired by the music by Med Goodall, Mike Oldfield, Deep Forest, and NorthSound. Thanks for hours of great listening!
When the Great Loss fell on the earth in the early 13th century, the magic was lost. Now, the dormant magic of the world and the things around us are returning; The Awakening is coming. This means a lot of changes are about to take place. First of all, the balance of power is going to be shifted in favor of those who know how to harness this power, and work for them. Second of all, those who know these things will, at first, look very strange in the eyes of the public, and they will be hated and feared. So has it always been. The mortals have always killed and destroyed that which they have not understood, and feared. So also with those with the newly Awakened power of Magic.
There are several different types of people who use this new power. The first that comes to mind is of course the Mage, the magician of the new order, the user of these powers. Others of these lines are the Vampire, who hold the powers and curses of Blood within their human appearance, the Werewolf, who fight in the light of a dying world, and the Immortals, who simply are, nothing else. In light of this, you can easily see that all of these are figures of shadow and fiction, people and beings none of us will ever see, hopefully. But there are others.
Now, when the Awakening is here, there is a new order of people rising. They are called the Children on the New Age, the Age of Magic, the Second Dawn. They are among us, and you can see them from time to time, looking rather strange in their clothes and jewelry, discussing poetry, philosophy or astrology on a level none us can understand. They are really a community within the community, and this is their tale.
The first thing we need to define in order to understand the New Agers is the world in which we live. This, the physical universe, is called "The Mundane World", and it is not all that which it seems to be. It conceals a multitude of worlds within worlds, and is just one of many different ways of looking at this thing we call "Reality". In this world lives a people, a race of mortals who do not understand that reality is but an illusion, a shell, and that there is much more to this world than they can see, or touch, or measure. These are called Sleepers.
Then there is the Conclave. This is truly a council of mortals who are not Sleepers, people like you and me, who see the world for what it is, not this shell; "Reality ." This council holds powers that a Sleeper would consider magical or incredible, but they are merely ways to handle the powers of the world, and circumvent "reality". The apprentices of this council, and it's supporters, are called New Agers.
The conclave holds special meetings. Normally one per quarter of a year. These meetings are like the meetings of any society, and are not secret in any way. The Conclave is not worried about the secrets of their powers to get out to the Sleepers, as no one would be believed if they saw, and told. The Conclave holds it's meetings publicly, and without fear. The only thing they fear is really the Other; those in this world who are not Sleepers, those who understand. They can feel threatened, and this is not what the Conclave wants. The Conclave's motive is explained below.
There is a potential magical property within each and every one of us, -- we mortals, that is. The Egyptians called it Sekhem, the Andean Indians Llapa, the Japanese Ki, and the New Agers call it Mana. This is the pool of power that is really a manifestation of will, emotions, and desires within a human. If you are in tune with this power-pool of your, you can use your Mana to accomplish great things. The New Agers have one thing in common; they all understand the nature of the Mana, and how to use it. Mana is not something you can tap on a bottle, or store through a spell. It is simply the emotions, the concentration, and the will of the carrier. This is the nature of this power, and if you can sense it within, you can soon learn to master it. There are several ways to use Mana, and New Agers are often trained in at least one of these Ways of Power. It can be Healing, remembering past lives, or unlocking the potential of you own mind, and use it for telepathy, and so on.
There are several things that are alive, more or less, in this world. One of these are the spirits, and they are attracted by the New Agers through the harmony and peace they radiate. The spirits are all around us, all the time, but they can not interact with the Mundane World. Some can, but they simply don't want to. New Agers can tap this wonderful source of power and wisdom to become even more aware of the world they live in.
There are many mortals who can not see anything but reality in the Mundane World. These are called Sleepers, for they have not yet been awakened to this new power. Actually, most people on the face of the world are sleepers, and only a fraction are not. Just because they do not understand or see doesn't mean that they are worth anything less than one who is awakened. This is a great wisdom of the New Agers, one that separates them from many other Awakened people. Now, you can't just draw the line that there are Sleepers and Awakened, there are differences within groups, as well.
These Sleepers have understood that crucial fact that they do not understand, and need to know more. They are called Seekers, and they often travel far and wide to find this wisdom they are looking for. They are really Awakened, on a lower level of consciousness, but their conscious mind haven't really understood, yet. All New Agers are to help these people, as they themselves were Seekers once, before they were Awakened and accepted into the Conclave.
Then there is the Crowd. This is the gray mass of people who just rush through life and never stop to wonder about its beauties. They are numb to change that is not within "Reality", and they think that magic is either tricks, strings and mirror, or can otherwise be explained rationally. The truth of the matter is that magic can not be explained, not even by one who knows it. It's nature is just that, magical. Rationality is the chain that binds the Crowd in the illusion of "reality."
This particular group of Sleepers are very well aware of the Awakening and the people and creatures who live in this age. They are the beggars and the bums on our streets, and some are truly potent magicians. Why they don't rule the world? Because they are blinded by apathy and are just not capable of caring enough to make a difference for themselves or the Sleepers around them. They are wise, though, and band together for a common cause that are strong. The Conclave recommends it's members to ask the Nation for advice, when needed, but beware; the Shroud of Apathy is a slow death, and a New Ager an easily fall under it's spell.
Now, as mentioned before, mortals (Sleepers) have always killed and destroyed that which they fear. This is the job of the Authorities. They are glad to hunt down, question, and later dispose of people who are Awakened, just because they pose a threat to the security the Sleepers have built up within "reality ." New Agers have a good cover, though. They are thought upon as simple misfits, and sometimes as troublemakers, and not as a real threat. They are just "hibernated hippies", and are not of a real care for the Authorities.
Then there are those who understand that nature of the Awakening, and fear it. These will go out on crusades against what they think is "evil ," and try to kill any Awakened person they can find. These are the Witch Hunters, and all New Agers are to be aware of this threat. If the Witch Hunters can't kill you, they will either put you in hospital for a long time, possibly for all time, or in an asylum. Lobotomy is a good way to prevent New Agers from making any trouble, they think, and sometimes people disappear, sometimes to return as vegetables. Beware!
Then there are those who are Awakened, and their powers are great. They are either not aware of the existence, or power, of the New Agers, or they are aware of it. Some may fear it, and some may ignore it. Below is a list of the Awakened, and what they think about the New Agers. What the New Agers think of them is also displayed.
The magicians of the modern world are well aware of the existence of the New Agers, but think of them simply as low-power Orphan Mages, and in need of training. The New Agers are not in need of training from the Mages, as they use Vulgar Magic, a path of power that means disrupting the peace and harmony of all things, shifting the balance in favor of the Mage, and this is not what the New Agers are. They are harmony, and this way of magic is very alien, and basically, it is the Mages who need training. The Mages do not consider the New Agers a threat, however, and will normally not interfere in their business.
There are also ancient beings of this world: the vampires. These are only partially aware of the New Agers, but think of them as Mages, and therefore a threat. But, speaking in favor of the New Agers, it is easy to bluff a vampire into believing that you are not an Awakened, and not a Mage, and this is a strength of the New Agers. The vampires use another sort of magic; Thaumaturgy, and this discipline of magic drains the power of the body and the mind in order to gain power. To abuse the body or the mind in such a way is not acceptable, and the New Agers tend to look down at the users of Blood Magic. It is powerful, though, and you can not sneer at it, you need to watch your back at all times. The magic has been the topic of research for many centuries, and it's powers are great. The New Agers know of the vampires' existence, but not of their organization. They try to avoid contact with them, as you might be waking into a certain death.
Camarilla: "Yes, we have heard about these people but frankly, I can't see any point in wasting resources and time investigating them further. Clearly they are no threat to us." Chameron McPace, 8th generation Ventrue, Primogen of London
Sabbat: "Nah, them hippies aren't what we are to worry about. See, they can't do shit to harm us anyway. That are just chickens, all of 'em." Dinger, 10th generation Brujah Antitribu, New York
Inconnu: "The powers of these individuals are great. They are at peace and may prove to become powerful allies in the future. We must keep an eye on them." Sebastian, 5th generation Toreador
Anarchs: "Hippies just run. Never seen one worth the trouble to kill." Hatemonger, 13th generation Brujah, Los Angeles
The Werewolves are a dying breed, and they are in tune with something they call "Mother Nature", or "Gaia". This is but a part of the illusion of the World. But, it is not a part of the Mundane World, and they realize that there is more to this world than "reality". Sometimes, they come to the New Agers to ask for help, especially when they are wounded, and the New Agers, being good souls, generally help them. There is no official hostility between the Lupines and the New Agers, except of course for the Red Talons, who see the New Agers simply as Homids, and therefore wants them dead.
There are several types of Immortals. The New Agers have a common principle when it comes to deal with them; "Treat them as they treat you. If they invite you; oblige. If they fight you; run. If they kill you; take revenge on them." The New Agers are not totally aware of all the different types of Immortals there are, but will gladly help anyone, or ally with them, if their cause is good.
Dragons: "I have seen these mortals. They are but unaware Mages. They are willing to cooperate, and that is good. There is no need to destroy them. At least, not yet." Rathcaar, of the Pride Sinye
Shadow War: "We do not need them, as little as they need us. They should be left alone to conduct their business, and they should also leave us in peace." Alar Kibble, Celestial Game
Mummy: "Indeed an interesting development. I have watched them grow for a few decades now, and their powers are amazing. An alliance would suit me fine, and I will extend my hand to them in their time of need." Caiban Er-ke-takk, Egyptian Priestess of Thoth
Sleepwalker: "No, they are mortals. We do not need them. They can be of great help, at times. To that I will admit, but it is not worth the risk. They are humans, they are food." Admeir, wandered
The spirits are the allies of the New Agers. They are drawn to the New Agers, and they are powerful. They are to be treated with respect and dignity, and in return, the spirits will provide with safety and services if needed. In all of the World, the only Other a New Ager can trust is his/her fellow spirits.
There are different kinds of spirits. There are for example spirits of air and winds, called elementals, and of the waves and tides, called water-elementals, and so on. There are spirits of dead people who still roam this world, and there are spirits from those who are not dead, but never born; the unborn. There are also spirits that manifest a principle or idea, and these are normally very powerful. Every tree, brook, and boulder has a spirit, like all other living things. Some of these spirits are without purpose; lost in the Mundane World. These spirits may bind themselves to a New Ager, and become his/her Companion. A Companion is a servant, guard, spy, messenger, magician, or any number of other things. They are very loyal, but their attitude towards the New Ager may still be frosty. They may obey commands and render services, but demand repayment in form of offerings or other services, after some time. Some spirits are committed to helping the New Ager, and will not demand such things. Then there is the fact that the Companion is a spirit, and the New Ager is a human. This means that, normally, the spirit can't be by he New Ager's side all the time, but in the spirit-world. This means that it may take some time for the spirit to respond to requests posted by the New Ager. All this is regulated by the amount of time and effort the New Ager has spent on becoming in tune with his/her Companion. In short; the Companion is a powerful ally, and used wisely, it can accomplish miracles.
The motive of the New Agers and the Conclave is simple yet dual. The main goal is consciousness, and the duality is that the New Agers and the Conclave do not only wish this consciousness to be for them, but for all the Sleepers. The Sleepers must be aware of the magical powers around them. For themselves, they wish more knowledge, and more wisdom as to use their powers to do good. There are no New Agers that are part of the Conclave that use their powers to make money, or gain power, as money an power is only of the Mundane World, and not considered as very valuable.
How to wake the Sleepers, then? It is indeed a difficult task, and the New Agers haven't yet found any single method to do this. There are several possibilities. One is to help as many of the Sleepers as possible, interest them in the Awakening, and let them find their own way. Another is to find Seekers, and help them in their quest for enlightenment. The third way it to get the Sleepers attention, without being caught by the Authorities, and make them see that there is more to the World than "reality". This is difficult, as most Sleepers will see nay display of power as a trick, and will not understand. To gradually make them understand is far better than to chock them into their senses.
Below is a short list of things that are important to the New Agers in their cultural expression. Some of these points are not visible in all New Agers, and one who displays all is definitely considered "weird" by the Crowd. Clothing
New Agers do not wear clothes like other people would wear. Of course they can, technically, but they are rarely comfortable in them. Jeans are very uncommon, and the dress-suit with neck-tie is very rare indeed. They wear second-hand rags, modified by their own hands, and full of fringes, symbols, and beads. They often wear pouches containing a lot of different things, and backpacks are more common than any other form of bag. Indeed, they look a lot like clean hippies, but they, unlike the hippies, seldom have beards.
Another central pert of the appearance of a New Ager is the jewelry. A New Ager wears jewelry to express his/her mood and who he/she is. Some of the jewelry can also be protective, as there are forces that can influence you that are not good for you. Therefore, New Agers may wear intricate symbols in forms of jewelry or sawn into the clothing. Another form of protection is that in form of crystals. A lot of the crystals found in nature are either like sponges or hard shields; absorbing or reflecting all evil directed towards the wearer. Besides, they are beautiful as far as jewelry goes.
Besides the meetings the Conclave hold, there are meetings between New Ager all the time. At these meetings there are normally a lot of discussion. Topics discussed are; the Awakening, the Conclave, the Sleepers, the Others, Mana, the usage of Mana, the spirits, and the other worlds beyond this one. Meeting are normally very informal, and follow no strict protocol. A few New Agers might come together under a tree in a park, on in the backroom of a bookstore, and sit for a few hours, and plan and discuss. This is a great opportunity for those with little knowledge about the New Agers to catch on, as all New Agers like to share their knowledge and wisdom with all others, Sleepers or Other.
New Agers sometimes write poetry. Sometimes in a vain attempt to describe how they feel or something they have experienced. A lot of wonderful poetry is written, but it can never truly capture the experiences or emotions they are trying to convey. If an uninitiated reader was to read any of these poems, they would most certainly find it to be a sad or powerful love-poem when indeed they are not about either sadness or love. They are about the World. The same goes for the songs the New Agers write and sing. They are also on a very high abstraction-level, and contain very many, and complex metaphors. They are interesting to listen to, though, if you can understand the language. Sometimes, poems and songs are written in some obscure language, in an attempt to use that language's vocabulary and grammar to more properly channel the emotions. Languages can be Latin, an Indian language, Celtic, or a small language spoken by some remote island tribe in the south sea.
The New Age-movement is very young, but has it's roots more in the spirit-world than in the physical world, and can therefore tap into a shared history of the Great Loss and the Awakening. All New Agers learn this history at an early stage, to understand the bond that holds them together, and motivates them in there purpose. There is a mythology and legends being told that is not like any other. These are stories spirits have told New Agers, and stories that New Agers have found in other worlds. They are like any other legends; powerful, exaggerating, and with a moral or emotional point to them. They have a purpose, whether this is to teach, frighten, or explain.
A very central part of the New Age culture is the depression. It is like this; the New Agers are a unique people, and they are very alone in their quest. Sometimes this is hopeless, or at least feel hopeless. This will depress the New Ager, and therefore, depression will always be with them in their cultural heritage. They are not overcome by this depression, however, they fight on, because they know that what they are doing is right, and has to be done.
The system of schools and other educational facilities are often despised by the New Agers, as they teach "Sleeper-known", and nothing of any real value. New Agers train themselves, alone or in groups of a few individuals. They write things down as memory-notes, but these notes are often unreadable by anyone who does not know what it is. Complex metaphors and subjective interpretations of meanings and causes are common, making the text very dense and difficult to get through.
This is a great concern for the New Agers. They realize, like the Lupines, that the Sleepers are destroying the world and that there will be nothing left to live on. A common phrase among New Agers concerning the environment is an old Cree Indian prophecy; "Only after the Last Tree has been cut down, only after the Last River has been poisoned, only after the Last Fish has been caught, only then will you find that money can not be eaten." The New Agers are very correct in their approach to the environment and the use of resources. Recycling and re-using is standard, and a lot of the New Agers are part of environmental organizations, like Greenpeace or similar outfits, to try to help as best they can. They also try to make the Sleepers aware of the catastrophe they are heading for, and that they have to take action now, before it is too late.
The human use of technology is very alien to the New Agers. Why would anyone want all those things when they are presented naturally, in the spirit-world and on a dozen other places. The latest addition to all of this is the use of computers linked together in great webs. In these webs people can communicate and share their ideas with each other. They can also get hold of information from other parts of the world. The New Agers find this very exclusive. Libraries, letters, and normal conversations are just as good as these nets of computers. Some say that these nets are made to make things go faster, and the New Agers response "Why? Are you in a hurry? You will still die, nothing can change that, you know." This normally leaves people speechless, and thinking that the New Ager is weird, but there is a point to is, and the New Ager is right.
Then, there is the body, the house of the soul, the bulk in which we live and die. New Agers look on the body as good and pure, and as a vessel for the mind and souls. It is not a shell you can neglect or mistreat, but something you need to take good care of, as you only have one of them.
Health: Staying in good shape and good health is an important point of the New Ager's life. Exercise and eating correctly is a very primal thing in their way of life. You can not neglect the body and expect it to carry you to glory, it is said, a by this the New Agers live.
Food and drink: Surprisingly many of the New Agers are vegetarians. This is not only because it is environmentally sane, but also because that the food is better for you health, if you eat right.
Washing: To keep clean is another important thing for the New Agers. Personal hygiene is very basic If you wish not get ill or looked upon as "human garbage."
Drugs: "Drugs are poison. They are slow death." This is the phrase you would encounter is you talk to a New Ager about the use, and misuse if drugs. New Agers do not take drugs. Some won't drink alcohol, and some may even refuse medication that is not of a completely natural origin.
Suicide: Despite the fact that the New Agers look at the body as something very important and powerful, they are not opposed to suicide. It happens sometimes that a person loses the will to live. If so, the person is better off dead than walking around wishing he/she was. Suicide is not common among the New Agers themselves, as they understand that there is no point to it, but they have a unique understanding for those who wish to kill themselves. There is, however, one thing a person has to do before he/she can commit suicide. The person must make sure that he/she does not have any unfinished business in this world, and that all that would miss him/her is made aware that the suicide is coming, and why it is happening. Only once this is done can a person die in peace by his/her own hand.
As the New Agers are humans, they are emotional beings, and they tend to bind in couples, like any other mortals. They also tend to stick together, as brothers or sisters, as family, even though they are not. If a New Ager binds with another New Ager, it is the merger of souls and wisdoms. They share that which they hold, and try together to find that which they do not have.
A New Ager can also bind with a Sleeper, in an effort to wake them, and make them see what is beyond "reality." This can be very hard, and the Sleeper may even think that it is a joke, or prank, looking for the hidden camera, and always, always feel like a fool when/if they realize that their way of looking at the world was wrong.A New Ager can also bind with a being that is Awakened. This Other may share his/her/it's wisdom, power, and knowledge, or may seek the New Ager to do just that. More than one vampire, especially the Salubri and the Children of Osiris has sought out New Agers to learn their ways, especially the healing ways.
New Agers detest violence. They do not find it a proper way to solve conflicts, and they do not use it, unless there is no alternative. If they are forced to take action through physical violence, they often use clever plans and traps to ensure victory. If they are attacked without the possibility to prepare themselves, they will more likely flee, and fight another day, as they know that they are not a match for a vampire, a Mage, a Lupine, or a Dragon, if faced by one. The also use the magical powers of their Companions to fight their battles for them. (Magic suitable for this is Egyptian Mummy-magic Hekau, and all the Ignem-spells of Ars Magica). They do not like fighting, and will rarely be one to pick a fight.
It can be quite a challenge to play a New Ager. Unless you are one, or know a lot about them, I suggest you try to find out as much as possible about their culture, and read this and the following text closely. If there is anything you do not understand; ask your Storyteller for the making of a house-ruling about the interpretation of these rules. Better that then endless discussions about rule-interpretations. I hope you enjoy playing one of the Second Dawn.
A character is not only numbers on a sheet, it is a person. To determine this you select a concept; a simple guide to who you are. It is, simply, you, in a nutshell. The next step is to determine not who you are, but how you are it. You select Nature, your true nature, and Demeanor, how you act it. Don't forget to note your character's name, your name, and the chronicle you start playing.
You prioritize Physical, Social, and Mental Traits. It is as simple as that. A normal New Ager may have any attribute-group as primary, although physical is more rare than Mental or Social. Mental is most common. A New Ager, being a human, allocates 6/ 4/ 3 points.
You also have to prioritize Talents, Skills, and Knowledge abilities. This is what you know. You mustn't forget Talents such as Awareness, Dreaming, Empathy, and Intuition, Skills as Crafts, Herbalism, Hypnotism, Meditation, Storytelling, and finally Knowledges as Astrology, Culture, Enigmas, Occult, and any Lore skill. Also look at the new Knowledge described below; Realm Lore. You have 11/ 7 /4 points to allocate on the three categories, and Knowledge are normally primary, but it varies.
A New Ager has five points to allocate on Backgrounds. They can select the following backgrounds from other parts of the Storyteller- system: Allies, Contacts, Fame, Influence, Mentor, Resources, Retainers, and Supernatural (from WoD; Mummy) There are also three new background-traits to choose from.
Severance
This is how far apart the New Ager and the rest of the mundane world. New Agers tend to drift away from the "normal" world and often described as "weird" or "strange". This may not seem attractive at all, but this trait is also how other New Agers think of the character; the higher the value in Severance, the better opinion others have for him/her. You can never have more than (5 - Severance) in Influence or Fame, as they are in conflict.
- The New Ager is a full part of the mundane world, and his name is not known among other New Agers.
* You are beginning to drift apart from the mundane world, and your name has been heard among others of the Conclave.
** You are now starting to wear strange pieces of jewelry, and scare or confuse "normal" people". You are mentioned at meetings between New Agers.
*** Your clothing now distinguishes you from the crowd. "Normal" people either look down on you or fear you, although they would never admit it. You are making a name for yourself in the Conclave.
**** Your physical appearance is now so utterly out of the normal that you can not move unnoticed through a crowd of "normal" people. You are now respected among other New Agers in your town or province/state.
***** You now truly distinguish yourself in every way from "normal" people. You look, move, talk and behave nothing like a person in a crowd. You are respected among other New Agers, looked upon as a ideal, and role-model.
Companion
This is your spirit-guide, guardian angel, or shadow. The more points you invest in this trait, the more powerful and friendly you Companion is. You spend points on this trait in two ways. First, you spend points on the power of the spirit. This is the true trait noted on the character-sheet. Then you spend more points, if you want, for the attitude and nature of the spirit. This is noted on the special lines for Companion, on the character-sheet. You also note the name of your Companion on the top of your character-sheet.
- You have no Companion
* Your Companion is astral, non-corporeal, and has no magical skills
** Your Companion is astral, non-corporeal, and has limited magical skills
*** Your Companion can manifest for short times in the physical world, and has limited magical skills
**** Your Companion can manifest for short times in the physical world, and has notable magical skills
***** You companion can manifest for longer periods of time in the physical world, and has great magical skills
| Extra points | Characteristics |
| 0 | Your Companion is the spirit of a dead mortal. It has no extraordinary powers |
| 1 | You Companion is a small elemental (e.g.: An air elemental can control and create small winds.) |
| 2 | Your Companion is the spirit of a dead mortal of great magical skill. Many of these skills are still usable by the spirit in the current form. |
| 3 | The Companion is the magical spirit of an ideal, an opinion, or a great will. The spirit has the Gift of Wills |
| 4 | The Companion is the spirit of a tree or a boulder. It has the Gift of Nature |
| 5 | Your Companion is the spirit of a magical power or a principle. It has the Gift of Power |
| 0 | Your Companion is neutral in its attitude to you |
| 1 | Your Companion is friendly towards you, and will grant favors if repaid in offerings or services |
| 2 | Your Companion is trustworthy, and will grant small favors without the need for repayment |
| 3 | You Companion is loyal, and will defend you, if repaid. |
| 4 | Your Companion is attentive and kind, and will give great sacrifices to please you |
| 5 | Your Companion is ready to die in your place, and will grant any request, no matter the size, without asking for anything in return. |
| 0 | Your Companion is slow, and will respond in (20- its Willpower) minutes to your request |
| 1 | Your Companion is still slow, and will respond in (15 - its Willpower) minutes |
| 2 | Your Companion is quicker now, and will respond in (10 - its Willpower (minimum of 1 full minute)) minutes to your request |
| 3 | Your Companion is quick to respond. The time is (5 - its Willpower (minimum of 1 full minute)) minutes |
| 4 | Your Companion is swift and will respond in (20 - its Willpower) rounds |
| 5 | Your Companion is always with you, and the response to your request is always immediate |
| 1 Mana | Can distinguish pale from bright |
| 2 Mana | Can see color |
| 3 Mana | Can see patterns (identity) |
| 4 Mana | Can see shifts in color or patterns (detailed information) |
| 5 | ManaCan see mixtures of patterns and colors (near- complete information) |
*** Spirit-sight: Now, the user may see spirits that have entered the mundane world, but that are invisible to the human eye.
System: Roll Perception + Occult/Spirit Lore against a difficulty of 6. Once successful, this power last for (user's Willpower) minutes, and for each additional minute, the user must spend one Mana-point
**** Remote Eye: This is the true power of Clairvoyance. It lets the user see a place where he/she is not present. The picture may be improved according to the user's wishes.
System: Roll Perception + Spirit Lore/Realm Lore against a difficulty depending on the distance to the intended target; room, person or what may.
| Difficulty | Distance |
| 4 | Within 100 meters, but beyond obstacle |
| 5 | Within 1 kilometer, beyond obstacle |
| 6 | Within 10 kilometers |
| 7 | Within 100 kilometers |
| 8 | Within 1000 kilometers |
| 9 | Anywhere in the mundane reality |
The picture is in black/white, and has no sounds. It lasts for (user's Willpower) minutes. Color or sound to the picture as well as every additional minute costs 1 Mana each.
***** Time's Eye: This power lets the user look at a place where he/she is not, but at a time in the past.
System: As Remote Eye above, but the user can see (Willpower) days into the past, or (Courage) minutes into the future of a place where he/she is not. The difficulty, roll and Mana-costs are the same as per Remote Eye.
This power lets the user examine the trace of time through an object, a place, or a person. The power requires meditation with the object/person you wish to examine, or within the place you wish to know more about. The user must meditate the same amount of hours as the power he/she attempts to use has level. During this meditation, no Mana is regained.
* Smell the Fear: With this relatively simple power, the user can sense powerful emotions and the use of magic within an object, a person, or a place.
System: Roll Perception + Meditation against a difficulty of 6. The information can only date back (user's Willpower x 2) days and is very general, non-detailed.
** See the Reaper: Now, the user can see powerful events in the past; death, birth, serious damage, and so on.
System: Roll Perception + Meditation against a difficulty of 6. The information may only date back (user's Willpower x 3) days and only contains events, no emotions, no identities, and so on.
*** See the Person: At this stage, the user can examine an event or an emotion in the past of the place, person, or object and obtain a name.
System: Roll Perception + Meditation against a difficulty of 7. The name given is not the true name (see WoD: Mummy) but the name to which the person is known to the place, object, or person.
**** Sense the Time: Now, the user can extend any of the above powers to a longer period of time into the past, or a short period into the future.
System: No roll. Any power (Smell the Fear, See the Reaper, See the Person, or See the Face) may be extended to (user's willpower x 10) days into the past or one day into the future, but only if a specific question needs answering. For example: You can ask a room "Will Clarissa return?" and get a no, meaning that either she will never return at all, or she will return in more than one day. There is not way to see the difference with this power.
***** See the Face: Now, the user can examine an event or an emotion so deeply that the identity of a person may be known, if known to the place, object, or person.
System: Roll Perception + Meditation against a difficulty of 6. If the power succeeds, the user is made aware of the identity of a person in an event or an emotion in the past (or future, see Sense the Time above). If known, there will be a full appearance, full name, history, and possibly also the true name.
This is another of the advantages of the New Agers. The Companion is a linked spirit, linked to a specific person, or task. Every New Ager has the opportunity to get a spirit companion, and this is done through the Background-trait Companion explained above. The Companion is an intelligent, emotional comrade, with a mind of its own. Below are presented the powers of the Companion.
Some Companions have magical skills. It depends a little on what kind of spirit they are, but if you decide that they are normal mortals, they could have access to the New Ager-powers Spirit Call, Astral Transcendence, Clairvoyance and Psychometry. If they are the spirit of an older magician, you can use the powers of the Egyptian Mummies (see WoD: Mummy), the Andean Mummies (see "Andean Mummies" by Evan Richard Franke), Thaumaturgy (see Vampire - The Masquerade), Hermetic Magic (see Ars Magica), or Vulgar Magic (see Mage - The Ascendance). A Companion with Limited magic skills can have four dots to place at the Storyteller's discretion. A Companion with Notable magical skills can have 7 dots, and one with Great magical skills can have a total of 10 dots. These power may vary wildly, as you can see, but the goal of the spirit is the same; to help the character, and therefore the nature of the magic is not really that important.
This power is the power of spirits that draw their powers from an opinion or an ideal. It lets the spirit overrun the will of another being, and control it for short periods of time. The spirit with this gift rolls it's Willpower against a difficulty of the targets Wits + 2. If the roll is successful, the spirit is in partial control for (10 - the target's Willpower (minimum of one full minute)) minutes. Partial control means that the target will not act in such a manner that is obviously suicidal, or will cause great physical harm to the body. If two or three successes are rolled, the spirit is in near-total control for (15 - target's Willpower) minutes. This means that the controlled person will undertake any action but such that is clearly and obviously suicidal. If four or more successes are rolled, the spirit is either in partial control for (50 - target's Willpower) minutes, or total control for (10 - target's Willpower (minimum of one full minute)) minutes. Total control means that the spirit controls and commands all actions of the controlled. The spirit can even control such actions that normally is not controlled by the target, such as breathing, heartbeat, and so on. It takes one full round for the spirit to try to gain control over a target and it must be in the vicinity of the target.
This gift is that of spirits of nature. I allows communication, command over, and control over plant-life and all animals, except mammals. Mammals can only be communicated with. The spirit can control a creature or plant for an indefinite time, and the target can take actions normally not possible, such as stop breathing, grow at abnormal rates, and so on. Commands will be planted subconsciously, and may be triggered at any time, by a set condition; stimuli, a specific time has passed, or such. Communication is subvocal, and can be maintained over great distances, and over prolonged periods of time. Animals, especially non-mammals, are not very smart, and can normally only count to "1 and more". Plants are even more stupid, and slow in their thinking.
With this gift, the spirit can share or endow powers. The spirit can endow magical skills for a time of (target's Stamina +1) days. This gift may not be endowed. The spirit can also endow knowledge with the same duration. It may also "donate" Mana or Willpower for a period of (10 - target's Wits) minutes. This Mana or Willpower has to be regained for the spirit in a normal way. For any of this to take place, both the spirit and the target must concentrate for one full round at the task.
The spirit of a dead mortal has 9 dots to place on Knowledge, while a spirit of Nature only has Survival (skill) 5, and 3 dots to place on Knowledge. Survival is, in this particular case, considered a Knowledge- ability. Any other spirit has 5 dots to place for Knowledge, but this should be restricted as per the nature of the spirit. For example; if a spirit is that of the Ideal "Neatness" (what a nightmare to have as a Companion, huh?) Medicine and Science could be natural, but Occult, Realm Lore, or Computers are very unlikely.