Storytellers Companion Sample file Credits Authors: Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea, Kevin Andrew Murphy Development: Jess Heinig Editing: Carl Bowen Art Direction: Aileen Miles Interior Art: Jeff Holt, Drew Tucker, Leif Jones, Shea Anton Pensa, John Cobb, Richard Clark, Matt Mitchel, Larry MacDou- gall, Langdon Foss and Jeff Laubenstein as the Beaver Cover Art: Richard Clark Front and Back Cover Design: Ron Thompson Layout and Typesetting: Ron Thompson © 2000 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for per- sonal use only. White Wolf, Vampire the Masquerade, Vampire the Dark Ages, Mage the Ascension, World of Darkness and Aberrant are registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Werewolf the Apocalypse, Wraith the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreaming, Hunter the Reckoning, Werewolf the Wild West, Mage the Sorcerers Crusade, Wraith the Great War, Trinity, and Mage Storytellers Companion are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc. 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 purposes only. Reader discretion is advised. For a free White Wolf catalog call 1-800-454-WOLF. Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.com; alt.games.whitewolf and rec.games.frp.storyteller PRINTEDSample IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. file 2 Mage Storytellers Companion Storytellers Companion Contents Introduction 5 Chapter One: The Story So Far 7 Chapter Two: The Disparates 19 Chapter Three: Spirits and Bygones 43 Chapter Four: Wonders 53 Sample file Contents 3 Sample file 4 Mage Storytellers Companion Introduction Hard times lie ahead for Tradition mages as the Of course, Storytellers may wish to choose which information Technocracy tightens its hold on reality. As the they make available to their troupes. Ascension War ends with both a bang and a whim- The Introduction (which you are currently reading) provides per, the survivors seek shelter wherever they can. an overview of this volume. Cut off from most of their teachers and the secure Chapter One: The Story So Far chronicles the highlights of the Horizon Realms they once thought inviolate, mystic Ascension War from the rise of magical schools through the division mages of all kinds seek new ways to progress in their between magic and science to the decisive strike used by the Tech- knowledge while looking over their shoulder with nocracy in its final assault on the mages of the Traditions and Crafts. well-deserved paranoia at the same time. In addition, this chapter reveals little-known information about what Just as modern war imposes its most harsh pen- really happened to fracture the world of true magic, and it gives some alties on the civilian population, the Ascension War has taken an guidelines for updating your chronicle with the new information. even greater toll on the independent Craft mages and members of Chapter Two: The Disparates takes a look at the reper- the Disparate groups. Those who could not find safety in numbers or cussions of the Ascension War with regard to the independent make common cause with former rivals have faded, like the fantastic mages of the Crafts and the Disparate schools of magic. Histories beasts of the Mythic Ages, into obscurity or annihilation. The new and fates of the now-defunct Crafts as well as detailed write-ups on millennium has arrived. the few surviving Disparate groups offer ways for Storytellers and Hope does not die easily, however. Despite the Technocracy’s players to update characters in the wake of the Ascension War. best efforts, practitioners of mystic magic persist, although they find Chapter Three: Spirits and Bygones explains the use of the road ahead of them longer, darker and more dangerous than ever various sorts of spirits in a Mage chronicle, and it details a few before. Out of the ruins of the War for Ascension, new alliances have specific examples. This section also talks about the mystical arisen as old grudges give way to the necessity of uniting against a beasts that once roamed the world but now thrive only in the greater enemy. Old dogs learn new tricks and hone their mundane Umbra, except for rare appearances on Earth. and magical skills in back alleys, abandoned warehouses and isolated Chapter Four: Wonders describes in detail the various sorts backwoods cabins. Scholars of history look back on the past and try to of magical items that mages might run across. Here, too, you’ll figure out just where it all went wrong, making notes for “next time.” find complete rules for building new Wonders, using Periapts and Relics, and even binding familiars. HowSample to Use This Book file As usual, feel free to pick and choose from the information The material contained in these pages provides information provided here. Keep what strikes your fancy, and ignore the rest. geared primarily toward Storytellers but useful to players as well. To the victors belong the spoils. Introduction 5 Sample file 6 Mage Storytellers Companion.