Imperial Mysteries is a sourcebook for Mage: The Awakening. The book delves into what happens to mages who transcend to the highest level of mystical power, including mechanics for Arcana at 6 dots or more.
Summary[]
From the Onyx Path catalog:
- "Imagine Awakening again. Imagine walking in a universe of dust, feeling it shape to your desire and retreat from your wrath. Imagine knowing that everyone and everything you ever cared about can be changed, forever, by your actions, the actions of your peers and those of your rivals. Imagine the fear, the crushing responsibility and the intoxicating, addictive power.
- Would you trust anyone with this? Would you trust yourself, Heirarch?"
- - Aaliyah, Bodhissatva
- A supplement for Mage: The Awakening
- Full Rules for archmasters, including the Practices of the sixth to ninth Arcana dots.
- Details of the Threshold, the trials that await a mage attempting to become an Archmage.
- Information on the Chronicles of Darkness as seen by archmasters; the Ascension War between rival visions for the Fallen World, the alliances Archmages form to promote those visions, the strange realms they explore and the godlike entities they encounter.
- Exploration of the Supernal Realms and the nature of Ascension.
- A minigame portraying Archmages in the Supernal.
- Storyteller advice for chronicles of cosmic scope.
Contents[]
Prologue: Names[]
Introduction[]
Offers advice on using archmages in a Mage: The Awakening chronicle both as Storyteller characters and as protagonists.
- New Merit: Pawns (• to •••••); Prerequisites: Archmage
- Lexicon
Chapter One: Threshold[]
Reveals the secrets of arch mastery, detailing the requirements for setting off on the Golden Road, the trials of the Threshold and the changed world in which an archmaster finds herself. Full systems for Imperial magic follow, including the Practices found at the sixth to ninth degrees of the Arcana and examples of the spells they make possible.
- The Imperial Practices
- Six Dots: The Practice of Dynamics
- Apeiron (Matter ••••• •)
- Nuclear Cascade (Forces ••••• •)
- Alternate Timeline (Time ••••• •)
- Seven Dots: The Practice of Entities
- Soulwalker (Mind ••••• ••)
- The Practice of Excision
- Imperial Dispellation (Prime or targeted spell’s Arcanum ••••• ••)
- True Name (Space ••••• ••)
- Eight Dots: The Practice of Dominions
- Proxy (Life ••••• •••)
- Nine Dots: The Practice of Transfiguration
- Transfiguration (Any ••••• ••••)
- Six Dots: The Practice of Dynamics
Chapter Two: The Invisible Road[]
Describes the world of the archmasters, from the strange realms they explore to the secret ententes they gather in, from the Pax Arcanum to the Ascension War. When multiple truths conflict, how do you decide what is real?
Chapter Three: The Supernal Ensemble[]
Puts faces to the factions in the Ascension War. Rivalries among archmasters are personal, and individual Seekers of all the ententes are detailed here. Also included are beings that may serve as al lies or antagonists in an archmage chronicle: rules for spirits of high rank, Supernal Gods, Ochema, Aeons and more.
Chapter Four: Ascension[]
Details the Final Key of permanently transcending the Fallen World. Ascension isn’t only for archmasters, and it isn’t a moral state, but what is it?
- Sample Astra: Heaven’s Will; Indestructible; Size 2, 21 Mana
- Sample Sarira: The Green Scepter (•••••); Durability 2, Size 2, Structure 10, 48 Mana
Appendix: Imperium[]
Rounds off the book with a system for playing archmasters in the Supernal Realms. Moves in the Ascension War can reshape the world — more, they can decide the meaning of the world.
- The Noumenon
- The Three Omens
- Personal Omens
- Earthly Omens
- Celestial Omens
- Imperium Rites
- Rites of Banishment
- Two Moves
- Banishment of the Unsealed Destiny
- Banishment of the Arising Soul
- Banishment of the Supernal Sign
- Rites of the Pneuma
- One Move
- Rite of the Soul’s Might
- Rite of Supernal Balance
- Rite of the Bridge of Light
- Rite of Repose
- One Move
- The Rite of Exaltation
- Two Moves + One Move per Omen Dot
- Rites of Banishment
- The Three Omens
Background Information[]
Memorable Quotes[]
Characters[]
- Aaliyah, Bodhissatva - Backcover
- Prologue: Names
- Anamika
- Verrill, Gareth
- Havelok
- Introduction
- Aldous
- Chapter One: Threshold
- Jabir - Moros Adamantine Arrow, Uncrowned King
- Shodashi - Siddha
- Newton - Free Council Exemplar
- Chapter Two: The Invisible Road
- Anabaptist - Guardian of the Veil
- Hieromagus
- Hyperion - Archmage
- Basileus - Libertine
- Severian - Libertine priest
- Prince of 100,000 Leaves
- Nike - Libertine
- Old Man - Aeon of the Abyss
- Chapter Three: The Supernal Ensemble
- Archmasters
- Alienated: Achamán
- Aswadim: Theumiel
- Bodhisattva: Aaliyah
- Exemplar: Xaphan
- Siddha: Kadmon
- Tetrarch: Idola
- Ascended Archmasters
- The Aeons
- The Exarchs
- The Shadow of the Chancellor
- The Old Ones
- The Hunter in Green
- The Mother of Fire
- The Old Gods of Thistle
- Archmasters
- Chapter Four: Ascension
- Ixion - Tetrarch
- Kirtimukha - Thyrsus
- Prologue: Names
Terminology[]
Lexicon: Akathartoi, Abaddon, Aeon, Agama, Alienated, Aponoia, The Ascension War, Aspirant, Astra, Astral Path, Aswadim, Avatar, Banishment, Bodhisattvas, Chantry, Cintamani, Common Practice, Dhatu, Emanation, Entente, Epitome, Exarchate, Exemplars, Final Key, Golden Road, Greater Abyssal Entity, Imperial Practice, Imperium Rite, Invisible Masters, Iris, Kenoma, Lustrum, Mandira, Minister, Mitrata, Move, Noumenon, Ochema, Old One, Omens, Pax Arcanum, The Phenomenal World, Pneuma, Royal Avatar, Qliphoth, Quintessence, Sarira, Seed, Seeker, Siddha, Sub-soul, The Supernal Work, Talisman, Tetrarchs, The Threshold Seeking, Traveler, Tyrannate, Wending; 1901, 1914, 1953, 1977, 1980s, Abyss, Archmaster (Seeker, Archmage), Ascension, Assumption, Astral Realm, Blood of the Dragon, Celestial Flange, Dragons, Empyrean, Erebus (Stygia, Death — Archetype of Shadow), Exarch, Final Gate, Five Kings of Atlantis, Gehinnom (Pandemonium, Mind – Archetype of Sin), Guardian, Imperial Thaumaturgy, Lower Depths, Oracles, Other Beings (Gods of Shadow: Luna, Helios; Lords of the Underworld: Cthonians, Deathlords; Agents of the Principle: The Principle), Paradox (Bedlam, Branding, Manifestation), Shadow, Singularity (Arcadia, Time — Archetype of Progress), Sol Invictus (Cult), Supernal Realm, Tapana (Aether, Forces — Archetype of Fire), Tellurian, Underworld, Vermillion Record, Watchtower of the Liquid Sword, Yggdrasil (The Primal Wild, Spirit — Archetype of Sacrifice),
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