Credits Special Thanks Authors: Chris Allen, Jose Garcia, Danielle Lauzon, Julia To Dave Brookshaw, for being a wonderful mentor, friend, Neves, Lauren Roy, Malcolm Sheppard, Vera Vartanian, Eric and inspiration. Zawadzki To the Burger Cabal. You know who you are. Developer: Meghan Fitzgerald And to Angeli Pontis, Porter, and the rest. Mage: The Awakening Line Developer: Dave Brookshaw Editor: Genevieve Podleski Art Director: Mike Chaney Artists: Michael Gaydos, Alex Sheikman, Luis Sanz, Tilen Javornik, Joel Biske Creative Director: Richard Thomas

© 2020 White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of White Wolf Entertainment AB. Reproduction prohibitions do not apply to the character sheets contained in this book when reproduced for personal use. White Wolf, Vampire and Chronicles of Darkness are registered trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. Vampire the Requiem, Werewolf the Forsaken, Mage the Awakening, and Storytelling System are trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Entertainment AB. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposesSample only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised. file Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.com Check out the Onyx Path at http://www.theonyxpath.com

2 NIGHT HORRORS: NAMELESS AND ACCURSED Secrets 41 Introduction 12 Rumors 41 Theme: Cautionary Tales 12 Ricardo, the Fool 42 Mood: Background 42 Temptation and Denial 12 Description 43 Storyteller Advice: Magical Conflict 12 Secrets 43 Sorcerous Fisticuffs 13 Rumors 43 Consequences 13 U.O.P.S., the Queen of the Rose 45 How to Use This Book 14 Background 45 Chapter One: Rivals and Nemeses 14 Description 45 Chapter Two: Banishers 15 Secrets 45 Chapter Three: The Rapt 15 Rumors 46 Chapter Four: Scelesti 15 Chapter Five: Tremere 16 Chapter Two:: Banishers 50 Lexicon 16 Ideologues 50 The Pentacle 20 The Hungry 50 Chapter One:: Rivals and Nemeses 20 The Harrowed 51 Solitary Hunters 51 Banisher Systems 52 THE PENTACLE 21 Harrowed Banisher Systems 52 Gwydion, the Spanner in the Works 21 The Minotaur, Gatekeeper of Truth 53 Background 21 Background 53 Description 21 Description 53 Secrets 21 Secrets 53 Rumors 22 Rumors 54 Keres, the Arrow’s Poisoned Tip 24 Officer Kelly and the Dark Passenger 56 Background 24 Background 56 Description 24 Description 56 Secrets 25 Secrets 56 Rumors 25 Rumors 57 Viridian, Master Thief 27 Sophia, Scheming Antiques Dealer 59 Background 27 Background 59 Description 27 Antiquities Trade 59 Secrets 27 Description 59 Rumors 27 Secrets 60 SEERS OF THE THRONE 30 Rumors 60 D’Eon, the Friendly Face of Panopticon 30 Chapter Three: The Rapt 64 Background 30 Description 30 Consuming Obsession 64 Secrets 31 Fading Wisdom 64 Rumors 31 The Blind and the Foolish 65 Pangloss, Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing 33 Unshackled Power 66 Background 33 Paths to Rapture 66 Description 33 Savant 66 Secrets 33 Malefactor 67 Rumors 33 Walker 67 Phemonoe, Arbiter of Techno-Destiny 36 Others 67 Background 36 Enraptured Magic 68 Description 36 Fault 68 Secrets 37 Nimbus 69 Rumors 37 Magical Savant 69 Paradox 69 APOSTATES AND NAMELESS 40 SampleTemenos Detachment file70 Matatag, the Scapegoat 40 Stress 70 Background 40 Tulpa 71 Description 40 Matters of the Soul 73

Table of Contents 3 Cleodora, Who Reaches for the Depths 74 Enheduanna, Nasnas Eschatologist 103 Background 74 Background 103 Description 74 Description 103 Secrets 75 Secrets 104 Rumors 75 Rumors 104 Manzazuu, the Reborn 78 Purge, Rabashakim Saboteur 106 Background 78 Background 106 Description 78 Description 106 Secrets 79 Secrets 107 Rumors 79 Rumors 108 Spiral, the Primal Avatar 82 Rubedo, Doorkeeper of the Glass Chrysalis 109 Background 82 Background 109 Description 82 Description 109 Secrets 83 Secrets 110 Rumors 83 Rumors 111 Greater Tulpa — Slake, Spider Caught in His Own Web 113 Gristleflay (Totem) 85 Background 113 Thalia, Storm of the Century 85 Description 113 Background 85 Secrets 114 Description 86 Rumors 114 Secrets 86 Tanris, Shedu Wish-Granter 116 Rumors 86 Background 116 Chapter Four: Scelesti 90 Description 117 Secrets 117 Rabashakim 90 Rumors 117 Corruption’s Lure 90 Zerzura, Singer of the Falling City 120 Learning Antinomian Sorcery 91 Background 120 Casting Antinomian Sorcery 91 Description 120 Nasnasi 92 Secrets 120 The View from the Ziggurats 92 Rumors 121 Joining 94 Maze 122 Nasnasi Magic 95 Mind Numb 122 Autarchs and Shedim 96 The Falling City 123 Baalim 97 Qliphoth 97 Chapter Five Tremere 126 Fully Joined 97 Emptiness Vaster Qliphoth Traits 98 than Death 126 Dread Powers 98 Hunters of Gods and Souls 126 Gremlin 98 The Order of Tremere 127 Hunter’s Senses 99 Tremere 130 Hypnotic Gaze 99 Magic Hungers 130 Influence (• to •••••) 99 Core Beliefs: The Sevenfold Secret 130 Know Soul 99 Origins 131 Madness and Terror 99 Mysteries 131 Reality Stutter 99 Concepts 131 Surprise Entrance 99 Tremere Characters 132 Toxic (• or ••) 99 Tremere Traits 132 Paradox Trap 99 Preta Traits 135 Escaping 100 Chameleon Horror 135 Greater Menaces 100 Fire Elemental 135 Sample Abyssal Environmental Tilts 101 Hunter’s Senses 135 Abyssal Pattern 101 Hypnotic Gaze 136 AbyssalSample Revision 101 Jump Scare file136 Abyssal Yantras 101 Know Soul 136 Inconsequentiality 102 Preta’s Maw 136 Withering Magic 102 Preta’s Snare 136

4 NIGHT HORRORS: NAMELESS AND ACCURSED Preta’s Soul Theft 136 Description 149 Regenerate (• to •••••) 136 Secrets 149 Toxic (• or ••) 136 Rumors 149 Unbreakable 136 Korazon, the Final Savior 151 Wall Climb 136 Background 151 Stolen Houses 136 Description 151 House Characteristics 136 Secrets 151 Apprenticeship or Assassination 137 Rumors 152 House Weaknesses 137 Morana, the Folk Mercenary 154 House Attainments 137 Background 154 Notable Houses 137 Description 154 House Nagaraja 138 Secrets 155 Origins and Doctrine 138 Rumors 155 Magic 138 Paphos, the Art Collector 157 Attainments 139 Background 157 House Seo Hel 140 Description 157 Origins and Doctrine 140 Secrets 158 Magic 140 Rumors 158 Attainments 141 Ziusudra, True Believer 160 House Thrax 142 Background 160 Origins and Doctrine 142 Description 160 Magic 142 Secrets 161 Attainments 142 Rumors 161 House Vedmak 144 Origins and Doctrine 144 Appendix: Conditions 163 Magic 145 Abyssal Debilitation 163 Attainments 145 Berserk 163 Anne-Marie, the Lion of Night 146 Degenerate Mana 163 Background 146 Dissonant Tuning 163 Description 147 Mage Hunter 164 Secrets 147 Supernal Harrowing 164 Rumors 147 Tainted Aspiration 164 Arpagus, Voracious Monster 149 Background 149

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Table of Contents 5 Sample file “You’re going to hurt someone.” The woman No. Her chest squeezed at the very idea. She at the bus stop didn’t look up from her book. couldn’t — wouldn’t — put off the Mystery for At first, Madeleine thought she’d misheard, or another day. Not another hour. Xan died before caught a heated part of a private conversation he could solve it, and now Madeleine was too — she didn’t see a cell phone, but the woman damned close to the end to wait. wore earbuds whose wires snaked down into her pocket. Those, plus her intent focus on the Here came the 115 bus now, as though the book and her hunched posture clearly read leave universe itself were affirming her decision. me alone, so Madeleine did. That woman didn’t know Madeleine. She Except the woman said it again, louder this didn’t know Xan, or how carefully the two time: “You’re going to hurt someone.” Madeleine of them had researched and planned. As she snuck another glance, curiosity getting the better boarded the bus, Madeleine kept one hand flat of her. The woman now stared over the rims of over the satchel. Matter let her feel Xan’s spiky thick-framed glasses, pinning Madeleine in place handwriting through the layers of paper and with her gaze. The watcher wore a generic retail cardboard and leather. She delved down to uniform: khakis and a cheaply made collared the last page Xan’s pen had touched, halfway shirt, with pin holes where her nametag would through the notebook. His last written words go when she got to work. Smart, not to leave it to her: Maddy, I’ve got it! on while riding public transit. This woman was Then he was gone, before he could tell Mad- just another commuter — not her boss, not the eleine what he’d learned. Hierarch— yet Madeleine felt like she was back in third grade, busted for passing notes. • • • But she was 32, not eight, and she’d seen The 115 dropped her off a mile away from the things this random stranger would never be- warehouse, and she had to hoof it the rest of the lieve. “Excuse me?” way. No one really came to this part of the city “You could stop it, but you won’t.” The wom- anymore. With the economy in the toilet, the an snapped her book shut and stood. “We’ll talk jobs and factories had moved elsewhere. For a again. After.” The 55 bus lumbered to a halt and time, some of their friends had taken over the she boarded without so much as a glance back warehouse and turned it into a makerspace. at Madeleine. You could go there anytime and find someone sculpting, welding, painting murals, or working Madeleine pulled her satchel tighter, her fin- through a dance routine. Madeleine and Xan gers tracing the shape of Xan’s notebook within. used to climb the shaky metal stairs to the fore- She clutched it to herself as though the woman man’s office and drink cheap beer while they — now halfway up the street and bound for the argued about the ideal placements of ley lines other side of the city — might reach through a and drew configurations in the dust. hole in the air and steal it. With the things Mad- eleine had seen, it wasn’t outside the realm of The other makers were long gone, now — possibility. Nothing was. moved on to other cities, other jobs. Madeleine walked among the pieces they’d left behind. An Should I wait, then? What if she’s right? angel chipped out of concrete loomed over her, its wings supported by exposed rebar. Dance What if she delayed it a few more days? She costumes still hung on their mannequins, dust could double-check her calculations, practice dimming their sequins’ shimmer. Xan used to the ritual she’d devised one last time. Be sure make them pirouette when the Sleeper artists Sampleshe was getting it right. were away. Madeleine sorelyfile missed their little But the idea of quitting when she was a bus maker community, and Xan most of all. ride away from solving Xan’s last puzzle… She set up her tools in the middle of the space and strong enough to manifest. Too late, Madeleine stretched out her awareness. The ley lines remained realized their intent. They swarmed the man, where Xan had left them. He’d spent months each vying to be the one to possess him, if only nudging them into place, and no one had shifted for a little while. Her reaction time was shot; them back. No other cabals quite dared mess with her mind was still full of Xan’s spell. The man’s Xan’s work in the wake of his death, though she screams didn’t help, though those subsided suspected they’d get over that soon enough. She when his consciousness gave up and fled. She was amazed they’d waited six months. She hadn’t peeled ghosts off of him like leeches, muttering expected they’d even make it to two. apologies that were only partly for him.

When the sunset turned the light streaming Most of them were for Xan. through the high windows a molten orange, Madeleine began her spell. The ley lines • • • hummed when she reached for them; the Mana coursing past her still held a taste of Xan’s Nim- When the man woke up, Madeleine told him bus. She felt it, too, in the slender finger bone she he must’ve disturbed a hornet’s nest. Never held in her hand to focus her concentration. Of mind that it was too late in the season, or that course she did; it was a piece of him, a magical he didn’t have any stings: The Lie had settled tool made all the more potent by her sympa- firmly back over him, calling anything he re- thetic connection to its former owner. Xan had membered into doubt. He declared himself given it to her long ago; as a joke at first, then lucky, and thanked her for being there. for real, when they learned he might not live to Thanked her for saving him, when it was her see it all through. fault he got swarmed in the first place. Ghosts drifted near, drawn by her call and the pull of so much Death. She shone like a beacon • • • to them in Twilight, her hands upraised, a dirge A week later, Madeleine saw the bus stop woman spilling from her lips. She couldn’t help but again. She was behind the counter at the coffee shop look for Xan among them, though she knew he Xan used to rave about, the one Madeleine said was wouldn’t be there. Madeleine had long since too loud, too crowded. Today she needed the noise, accepted that things ended, and people died, to drown out her guilt and tamp down the nagging even her best friend. But oh, how she wanted need to return to the warehouse and try again. The him to see this moment, when all their hard woman wore the same khakis and collared shirt, work came to fruition. but this time she had her nametag on: Lethe. She ought to have heard the scrape and shuffle “They’re going to hurt someone,” she said, that let her know she wasn’t alone anymore. as she handed a stunned Madeleine her iced Later, she’d wonder if maybe she did hear it, mocha. “You could stop them, but you won’t.” and chose the spell over her uninvited compan- “Who? When? Tell me and I will.” ion’s safety. Lethe shook her head. “It won’t matter. You’re You could stop it, but you won’t. not ready to let go.” She glanced behind Mad- “What the hell is this?” The voice sounded eleine as though someone were waiting, and masculine, older. Frightened. Madeleine fell for it, turning to see who was there. When she looked back, Lethe was gone. Madeleine’s Imago faltered and failed. The ghosts surged, confused and agitated by the • • • spell’sSample abrupt cessation. Most of them were file wispy things, little more than impressions of When Xan died, the Lorehouse got the ma- old passions and fading feelings, but a few were jority of his belongings. Madeleine didn’t fight them over it; she had his primary notebook, “Wait!” she cried, staggering to her feet, fumbling and as a Libertine herself, could go visit his at a counterspell. By now they’d all sensed some- personal effects and sift through his napkin thing wrong, as the air around them thrummed theories anytime she wanted. She hadn’t gone in with angry vibrations. Too late. Lightning stabbed a couple of months, too busy finishing her own down from the rafters. Electric-blue bolts of Prime research, and too proud to admit how much rose from the ground to meet it halfway. A shock- it hurt to stand among the things Xan had left wave fanned out from where they met, throwing behind. To acknowledge that she was one of Madeleine into the concrete angel’s arms. those things, too. When she came to, a few of the Ecliptic had Maybe that was why they didn’t contact her dragged themselves out of the circle. Tallow until the last minute. The email from the Ecliptic was on his hands and knees, hauling in pain- asked if she wanted to come see the cabal test ful breaths. The others lay still. One woman out some theories based on Xan’s work. Their moaned in pain. Two others were ominously leader, Tallow, had been Xan’s mentee within silent. The scents of ozone and burnt flesh filled the Council; he and Madeleine hadn’t always Maddy’s nostrils and made her gag. gotten along. But the invite was an olive branch, and she grasped it. They’re going to hurt someone.

She met them at the warehouse. The Ecliptic Lethe hadn’t said that “someone” would be had as much right to the space as she did; it was among the Awakened. Or that it’d be more than where Xan had trained Tallow. They’d likely one of them. spent time in the foreman’s loft together, too, But did it matter? drinking the same godawful beers. The cabal was all set up when Madeleine arrived. They Was I okay with it, if it was just a Sleeper getting indulged her request to search the premises, hurt, as long as Xan’s Mysteries got solved? Was just in case, but found no Sleepers lurking. Then I okay with them getting hurt, if it left Xan’s work there was nothing left for her to do but plunk intact? down at the concrete angel’s feet and observe. She shoved the thought away, and went to With grudging approval, she noted how the help the wounded. spell was laid out, how the hallmarks of Xan’s style mingled with the cabal’s adjustments. • • • Some of the finer details were lost on her — Xan had had interests across all the Arcana, and The coffee shop was closed by the time Mad- much of this particular exercise in Forces sat eleine arrived, but Lethe waited inside. She let outside Maddy’s expertise. But she could follow Maddy in, and locked the door behind them. some of it, how they’d woven in Prime and used Two cups of coffee steamed away on a low the ley lines to boost the spell. table, flanked by two overstuffed chairs. She could imagine Xan curled up in one with a fat And there it was, someone fucking with Xan’s tome in his lap. ley line configuration at last. She spotted it late, after they’d started casting, saw how one change “Do you want to talk about it?” asked Lethe. would cascade into another, and how it would She produced a bottle of whiskey and set it reverberate back at the casters. between the cups.

Later, she’d wonder if she’d really noticed it Maddy poured a generous slug into her cup as sooner, and chose to ignore it until it was too she sat. She’d changed her clothes and showered Samplefar gone to fix. in water so hot she’d probablyfile cooked some organs, but she kept getting whiffs of seared You could stop them, but you won’t. air and slag. Three of the Ecliptic were gravely injured, but none were dead. She’d helped get stopped, sipped her coffee, waited. them all back to the Lorehouse before coming here; the echoes of their pained cries chased her The words sank in, and Madeleine scrambled across town. “I want to know why you didn’t up out of her chair. She snatched Xan’s finger just tell me. Either time. I’d have done things bone from her pocket and squeezed it, calling differently.” up an Imago. “Banisher,” she spat.

“You wouldn’t have, though. Maybe you’d’ve Lethe hadn’t moved. “I never liked that word. postponed. But it wouldn’t matter. I know how Secret Keeper is more appropriate.” She nodded obsession works.” toward Maddy’s clenched fist. “Do I need to point out that you’re the one who leapt imme- She opened her mouth to argue, but Lethe diately to violence? Let that spell fly, and you’ll gave her that same disappointed-schoolteacher be the killer here, not me.” look over the rims of her glasses, and the lie died on Maddy’s lips. She was right. As awful as she No. Don’t listen to her. The Orders had their felt for siccing a passel of ghosts on that man, warnings about Lethe’s kind. They were mur- she’d been back to poring over Xan’s notebook derers, defilers of Mysteries, as dangerous as within hours. And when the Ecliptic sent her Reapers and the Rapt. Killing a Banisher would the invite, she’d pounced on it, even though it be the right thing to do. meant returning to the scene of her crime. Wouldn’t it?

“What do you want me to do, then? If I can’t “No one died today,” Lethe said softly. “No stop it, what’s the point of telling me?” one has to.” She glanced at Madeleine’s satchel, “You can stop it.” Lethe plucked the pen from at the foot of the chair. Xan’s notebook was still behind her ear and scratched a nonsense doodle inside. “Would your friend have wanted people on her napkin. “Look at this. Memorize it.” harmed in pursuit of his Mysteries?”

It seemed simple enough: a spiral bisected by “No.” It came out as a whisper. A rush of grief a slanted line. “O…kay?” swept over her, as potent as the day she’d lost him. He’d died for magic. Because of it. “But you “Watch now.” Lethe passed her hand over it, want me to erase him. His work.” her fingers hot with Prime. Madeleine smelled that sharp ozone tang from the warehouse, and “You’re wrong. I want you to keep it. His work burning paper. When Lethe pulled away, the will be a part of you. Safe, secure. Yours alone. napkin was intact, but blank. She passed Maddy Maybe someday someone will be worthy of it, the pen. “Draw it for me.” but until then, you hold onto it. Onto him.”

Frowning, she took the pen, touched it to the Madeleine thought of how she’d felt, knowing napkin, and — Tallow and the Ecliptic were studying Xan’s work. Not jealous, not possessive. But as if a Maddy blinked. The pen hovered over the gaggle of first-graders were fingerpainting over center of the napkin, but when she tried to make a Renoir. They’re not ready. How many times had the first stroke, she didn’t know how to begin. she thought that, when she spotted their posts What did it look like? She shuffled back through on Libertine message boards? her memories of the last few minutes, watched Lethe draw something, but in her recall, the nap- And what about her own damned self? I let kin stayed blank. “What did you do?” that man get hurt. I let the cabal fuck up the wrong ley line. It’s my obsession that’s the danger. “I hid it away. Somewhere it can’t hurt any- one.Sample Magic, wielded irresponsibly, causes harm. Madeleine let the Imago fade,file relaxed her grip It’s like taking a knife away from a toddler.” She on Xan’s bone. She reclaimed her chair next to Lethe — carefully, of course, in case the Banisher (Secret Keeper) made a sudden dive for her. But she knew exactly what she was asking Maddy the woman merely sat, patient as the teacher to give up. she resembled, and watched Maddy slip Xan’s notebook from her satchel. “Show me how,” said Maddy. It was old and scuffed, its pages mostly held in • • • by rubber bands. His initials had been embossed on the leather cover once, but now the gold leaf “Huh,” said Madeleine, as she packed up her had flaked away, and even the indents where things. The last hour was a haze, probably due the letters once were had been worn smooth. to the dent they’d put in the whiskey bottle. At She flipped through the pages, through his some point they’d switched from spiked coffee spiky-lettered notes in assorted inks. Years of to straight booze. “Someone left a notebook his work riffled past: scribbled notes, formulae, here.” locations, book titles. He’d diagrammed his ley It was old and ratty, like whoever owned it line plans across a two-page spread. Then came had carried with them everywhere they’d gone. that last note: Maddy, I’ve got it!, and the rest of the The pages were all completely blank. Weird, writing was her own. She traced the words with but she knew people who bought pretty blank a fingertip and glanced up at Lethe. “All of it?” books by the armload and never wrote in them, “All of it,” she said, though she didn’t sound too afraid to make a mistake on the fine pages triumphant like Maddy would have expected. within. Maybe this was some coffee shop cus- tomer’s novel-in-waiting, if only they could find It was the empathy in Lethe’s voice that de- that perfect first line. “Do you have a lost and cided her. If she’d been smug, if she’d gloated, found, in case the owner comes back for it?” Madeleine would’ve scooped up Xan’s note- book and walked out the door. But the woman’s “Sure,” said Lethe, tucking it under one arm as eyes were kind behind those thick frames, like she led Maddy to the door. “Though I somehow doubt they will.”

Sample file “Nothing is easier than denouncing the evildoer. Nothing more difficult than understanding him.” — Fiódor Mijáilovich Dostoievski

Awakening is a blessing. It’s pure enlightenment, arcane knowledge, untold Mysteries, unimaginable power. Awakening is a curse. It’s all-consuming addiction, existential Mood: despair, desperate loneliness, dangerous hubris. Awakening is knowing you can do whatever you want, and Temptation and Denial then doing it. Damn the consequences if you like, but your damnation doesn’t erase them. Bending reality to your will Mages are notoriously good at taking the wrong lessons from intoxicates you, but you’re not the only one who can. Staring cautionary tales. All it takes is one unbearable loss, one desperate into the Abyss frightens you, but if you can just learn enough day, or one temptation too many, for an otherwise stable mage and work hard enough, you can conquer even that — can’t you? to fall through the cracks; it’s not as hard to imagine as the Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed is a book about the Awakened would like to believe. Each character in this book Awakened. Horrors from the darkest corners of the universe showcases something that could, under the right circumstances, threaten mages at every step along their mysterious journeys, coax a mage to her downfall — especially when she’s so good at but sometimes a sorcerer’s worst enemy is someone just like her telling herself she has everything under control. She transgresses, who took one step too far. Someone who assumed they knew believes the burdens of the Fallen World are hers alone to bear, what they were doing, but didn’t quite. Or just someone whose follows her fascination past the point of no return. The more she goals conflict with hers, when neither of them is willing to give does, the easier it is to reassure herself she’s doing fine. Many up on their obsessions. sorcerers look upon their Left-Handed brethren and insist they know better, but of course, that leads to hubris — and it’s where most of our antagonists here started out, too. Theme: Cautionary Tales The story hooks presented with the mages in this book give Storytellers the tools to ensure players can recognize how What do you become with unbridled power at your fingertips? their own characters might make the same mistakes, driven far What would you give to get back to a place of pure Truth, when enough. you’re trapped in the crushing reality of the Fallen World? What would you do to live forever? To take back the greatest regret of your life? To destroy the thing you hate the most? Storyteller Advice: This book is about the mages who find that the answers to those questions pit them against their own kind. Whether it was their own hubris that drove their fall from grace or someone else’s that Magical Conflict ruined them beyond saving, these willworker antagonists are cau- Awakened society largely exists to regulate access to Mysteries tionary tales. Mentors tell their apprentices these stories to keep too dangerous for common use, and adjudicate conflicts be- them from crossing the wrong line in pursuit of their addiction tween flawed human beings with enough power to destroy cities. to Mysteries. Each tale shows a different way in which any mage Even the Seers of the Throne don’t want magic and Paradox could goSample too far. Obsession is a slippery slope, and there but for tearing their personal empires apart. Whenfile wizards oppose each the grace of sophia goes every Awakened in the world. Facing one other, it’s impossible to keep things from getting violent forever. of these antagonists is like looking into a mirror and seeing your own worst self in a future that could still come to pass. It can be difficult, as a Storyteller, to run a satisfying mage-on- mage fight scene without one side abruptly shutting the other

12 INTRODUCTION down with a single spell — especially if they’re well-prepared (or willing to Reach as far as they need to). The Chronicles of Darkness don’t assume violent conflict as a matter of course, but Optional Rule: when a character can win by drowning her enemy on dry land or Imago Familiarity reverting him to childhood, it’s tough to come up with reasons not to get violent. When characters do face off with other Awakened directly in a knockdown, drag-out magical battle, This section isn’t out to tell you not to — after all, the power the Storyteller may use the following optional rule and flexibility of the Arcana is one of the game’s draws. Rather, to reduce the likelihood that the whole scene will its purpose is to give the Storyteller recommendations and tools end in a single turn. with which to make such scenes interesting and fun for everyone at the table, so that one failed Counterspell or a gap in the cabal’s One act of pure will and Supernal force colliding Arcanum coverage doesn’t end things in a dissatisfying way. directly with another gives a willworker a front- row seat to his enemy’s Imago and techniques, The following is a mix of general advice for fights with Awak- allowing him to more effectively take them ened antagonists and some specific advice for certain kinds of apart later. Whenever a mage loses a Clash of mages with potentially world-breaking goals or methods. Wills against another mage — including when Counterspelling or being Counterspelled — while Sorcerous Fisticuffs using Active Mage Sight, his player gains a cu- mulative +1 to further Clashes against the same Few things are more potent than a prepared mage. Given foe within the same scene, to a maximum of +5. some time and knowledge, sorcerers are loaded cannons made of glass. Without preparation, those glass cannons load on the fly and spill gunpowder everywhere, which is no safer for anyone. Each combatant aims to fire first and hope his spell takes the other out of the fight before a retaliatory strike destroys him. • When a player involuntarily dramatically fails any action. Which might be all well and good for your antagonist’s goals, but should give the players pause enough that they’re careful • When a character succeeds on an Act of Hubris directly about getting into such fights. When they do, it’s helpful to related to the conflict or resolves the Megalomaniacal or ensure more is going on than just an exchange of deadly spells Rampant Condition in similar fashion, fully realizing the and Counterspells; and that, when things do get to that point, consequences of her violent actions. characters face plenty of consequences. As usual, surrendering should produce dramatic story hooks for the characters and present fun obstacles to face, rather than Intent and Surrender shutting down players’ options for the sake of a Storyteller It’s often easy to skip over the first step of an action scene character’s unequivocal victory. and jump straight to rolling for Initiative, particularly when Making the stakes clear up front and giving players other characters’ goals within the scene seem obvious. If you want to options to resolve the conflict helps make magical conflict emphasize the weight of taking violent magical action against feel like the dire recourse it is. Remember, mages are creatures an enemy capable of the same, make a point of always explic- of obsession — they all have things to live for that they would itly laying out the step of declaring intent for every character rather not die for, because a dead mage can’t (usually) pursue present, and use the optional “Beaten Down and Surrender” Mysteries. Most Awakened antagonists should be more willing rules (Mage, p. 216). to surrender or flee in the short-term than to fight to the death While the rules for Beaten Down and surrender only take (or worse) and lose the opportunity to get the answers they want physical damage into account by default, the threat in a conflict — and mages have a lot of ways to fuck off in the face of danger. between mages can be much stranger than that. Storytellers may In addition, all mages are themselves potentially sources of extend these rules to apply to other gauges of who’s winning Mysteries or avenues to pursuing them. You can encourage when the Awakened are involved, and stretch the definition of players to engage with the surrender rules against Awakened “violence” to include any offensive spells that would cause harm antagonists by giving Storyteller characters Obsessions that or serious setbacks to another character. Some options for when pertain to the cabal, and built-in story hooks related to the to apply the Beaten Down Tilt to characters in mage-on-mage characters’ own Obsessions. Antagonist mages should have conflict include: lots of reasons not to want to just destroy the cabal, up to and including capturing them and poking them unpleasantly to see • When a character spends or loses her last point of Mana what Mysteries come out. or Willpower. • When a character suffers another Tilt or effect that takes Consequences Sampleaway major options, such as being unable to effectively file In many cases, little can actually stop the players’ cabal from move, interact with others, or act according to their own waltzing into another mage’s sanctum and doing whatever desires. they please, particularly with the element of surprise on their

Storyteller Advice: Magical Conflict 13 side. They should keep in mind, however, that, dispatching an Awakened foe with a single spell — whether they murder him, Friends in Many Places shrink him to fit in a pocket, or banish him to the moon — is Antagonists exist in a context, and often belong to orga- never the end of the story. nizations or have cabals, colleagues, or minions just as the protagonists do. Mages especially like to belong to groups with Consilium and Caucus magical resources they can use, and to have Sleepwalker friends to better manage their spell control. All of these are pressure Pentacle Consilia use the Lex Magica to govern how mage con- points the cabal can exploit for their benefit, but they’re also flicts may be legally conducted under their jurisdiction. Order story hook dominoes the players knock over anytime they visit Caucuses have their own rules they expect members to follow, violence upon another mage, and resources the enemy can use in accordance with their varied philosophies and approaches to to their advantage in a fight — especially when the cabal is more magic. These restrictions don’t usually protect those who forgo concerned with Wisdom and collateral damage than they are. the Consilium’s rules, but many councils and Caucuses generally frown on killing or otherwise ruining another Awakened with- Some Awakened antagonists may not have friends, but instead out good cause or due process. Of course, “good cause” easily stranger entities working for them. They may employ summoned includes ridding the world of dangerous Scelesti or stopping spirits, Goetia, ghosts, Abyssal entities, or even Supernal beings Seers from enacting an Exarch’s awful commands, but terror- to do their dirty work. Not only do these provide non-mage foes izing the Nameless for personal gain or warring with another to pit the characters against, they can also be a hook for larger Pentacle cabal without invoking the proper rights and following issues should the cabal take down their summoner: Setting a procedures is usually a violation of one or more Precepts. bound entity free by taking away its controller without a plan B can invite disaster in a hurry, and the cabal might not even be The Duel Arcane is a sacred institution for a reason — it’s the aware of the entity until they’ve already done the deed. primary way the Pentacle and Seers both ensure that conflicts between members don’t explode into catastrophic infighting. It’s not just a matter of preserving civility and lives, either; winning a Duel Arcane literally makes one mage more right than the oth- How to Use This Book er, as the symbol of their victory is Truthfully written into the Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed presents several dis- Supernal itself. Even mages who aren’t part of any major Order tinct types of antagonistic mages, including Banishers, the Rapt, often respect the ancient tradition of the Duel Arcane, knowing Scelesti, and Tremere. Chapters 2-5 begin with a detailed descrip- it’s usually Wiser to preserve an enemy’s life than to decrease the tion of how each type fits into the setting, how its spellcasting number of Awakened souls in the world — and knowing that, if and other rules differ from the usual Awakened template where they win, they’ll have the right to make all kinds of demands. necessary, and how to create them as Storyteller characters. Sleepers and Paradox This book also provides a plethora of example Storyteller characters to use in your chronicles, whether you’re running It’s hard to have an all-out magical fight with Sleepers around, Mage: The Awakening or another game that take place in the and the planet is full of them. Storytellers can use them judi- larger Chronicles of Darkness setting. ciously to help deter the extremes of magical confrontation Each sample antagonist comes with traits for use in-game — characters understand the consequences of letting mystical and story hooks to get the players’ characters involved in the battles get out of hand in front of Sleeper witnesses (or if they Mysteries and threats the adversary represents. Feel free to mix don’t yet, they will the first time they try it). Sleepers increase and match these hooks or alter them to suit your chronicle the chances of causing Paradox, breaking point-induced freak- as needed; everything in this book is usable either as-is, or as outs attract attention even if the Sleepers later forget how it all inspiration for something more unique to your table. happened, and Dissonance degrades long-term magical solutions Note that where a character entry gives Legacy Attainments, to short-term problems. it only lists those Attainments the character knows, not all five. This isn’t to say you should randomly have Sleepers show up every time mages fight. If the characters make a solid plan to ensure an encounter happens in a private area, give them that Chapter One: Rivals and Nemeses win; but don’t let them just assume that an antagonist’s turf This chapter details mages whose particular obsessions and will be free of Sleepers. Remind them occasionally that they goals bring them into conflict with the protagonists, whether still live in the Fallen World; dramatic failures of all kinds are they’re ruthless Seers of the Throne opposing their Pentacle perfect opportunities to saddle characters with unexpected enemies or that Susceptor who just won’t stop poking around Sleeper witnesses. They should also remember that Scelesti are the cabal’s business. These Awakened chase Mysteries just like particularly keen on having those around to help ensure that a the players’ characters do, but do their ends justify their means? magical conflict will result in Paradox they can exploit. Additionally,Sample mages have to Reach more when they’re unpre- The Pentacle file pared, and a Scelestus enemy wants them to Reach as much as Gwydion, the Spanner in the Works. This Acanthus Guard- possible. This means she has incentive to be unpredictable, so ian of the Veil delights in meddling with the fates and prospects lean into that. of others, but his meddling has a purpose…usually. Can anyone

14 INTRODUCTION