Initiates of the Art is a sourcebook about the Awakening, helping both storytellers and players to understand better this concept.
Summary[]
From the White Wolf catalog:
- A New World Awaits
- All around, a new world blossoms. One moment you had a dreary everyday life. The next, you discovered the wonder of a universe shaped at your whim. Better be careful, though; with incredible power comes incalculable danger. The Traditions, the Technocracy, even the vampires, ghosts and werewolves all want a piece of you. If you're going to survive and learn to use your power, you'd better listen up. Time for the hard road, apprentice.
- The Magic's in You
- Now you can experience play as a just-Awakened mage on the road to power. The pitfalls are many, but the rewards of enlightenment are infinite. With the new Traits and rotes in this book, you can go beyond your old mortal life to become something new. Take a good look at how the different magical groups train their apprentices, and how to run a chronicle starting at the beginning of it all.
Contents[]
Prelude[]
By Kathleen Ryan.
Introduction[]
Chapter One: Awakening[]
Describes the moment of awareness, the sudden illumination that strikes and turns an otherwise normal (or not-so-normal) person into a mage. What provokes an Awakening? How does the typical mage-to-be react to the sudden infusion of incredible knowledge, insane wisdom and reality-skewing power? The Avatar, once roused from slumber, gives a great shout and heaves off the bedclothes. Now it's time for the mage to face the cold, dark world.
Chapter Two: Finding Your Feet[]
Advice from various mages about dicing into mage society. Once a mage Awakens, she inherits limitless potential. However, there's not always someone around to direct the mage to exploration of this newfound prowess. Finding a mentor, surviving initiation into a Tradition or Convention, or just going the Disparate road - each is a tough decision, and one that every initiate must deal with. Along with mage society and mentors, initiates have to deal with the sudden pull of the Avatar, leading them on inner quests and pulling them in startling directions. Every initiate learns to deal with that demon, or she is consumed by it.
Chapter Three: Life as an Apprentice[]
Follows the day-to-day work of an initiate. Just because you've Awakened doesn't mean that your bills are suddenly paid, your roommates are less slovenly or your job is easy. Friends, family, enemies, other mages and the everyday crap that comes down on the Awakened all have a place in the apprentice's life. Without the raw power of an experienced mage, the apprentice has a careful balancing act ahead, trying to mix the perils of supernatural learning with the hazards of life.
Chapter Four: Resolution[]
Explains where an apprentice goes once she's gotten past the initial shock. Not everyone survives to become a mage, and many don't even get past apprenticeship. Some just quit, ignoring their Avatars and trying to fit back into an ordinary life. Others are killed or driven insane. Nobody said that being a mage was going to be easy! If anything, magic makes life harder... but those that survive have a shot at the real power. How the apprentice passes through the first ordeals determines forever the path upon which her feet tread to Ascension.
Appendix: By the Numbers[]
Covers game mechanics for apprentices: simple rotes and practice magic, minor Paradox manifestations and rules for creating apprentice-level characters (and, hopefully, moving them up into full mages).
- A Few Simple Rotes
- Alarm System (Life
, Correspondence ) - Deadaim (Entropy , Forces , Optional Life )
- Dontcme (Correspondence , Entropy )
- Followme (Correspondence , Mind )
- Trickshot (Correspondence , Entropy , Forces , Mind )
- No-Doz (Any )
- Positive Thinking (Mind )
- Alarm System (Life
- Merits and Flaws
- Hollow Soul (1 point Merit)
- Pushy Avatar (2 point Merit)
- Cross-Training (5 point Merit)
- Blended Technique (7 point Merit)
- Rogue Apprentice (1 point Flaw)
- Nephandic Taint (3 point Flaw)
- Fresh Meat (4 point Flaw)
- Templates
- Alaskan Bush Pilot - Sons of Ether
- Doc Sanders - Son of Ether Mage
- Industry Worker - Iteration X
- Photographer - Orphan
- Alaskan Bush Pilot - Sons of Ether
Background Information[]
The ad at the back of the book is for: Mind's Eye Theatre Unlimited and Limited Laws of the Night Revised Edition (Sept. 1999).
Memorable Quotes[]
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Characters[]
- Prelude
- Introduction
- Nate - Mage
- Sir Lawrence White - Mage
- Jessa - Hollow One Mage
- Ryan - Virtual Adept Mage
- Lee Ann
- Dent - Akashic Brotherhood Mage
- Marcus - Mage
- Chapter One: Awakening
- Kyle - Mage
- Jake - Human
- Carol - Human
- Chapter Two: Finding Your Feet
- Nita
- Chas. A. Marketwell - Adeptus Major, Magister Alumnae, Order of Hermes Mage
- M. Rachel Richards - Zelator, Order of Hermes Mage
- Travis McNair - Mage
- Ramona Brightman - Chorister Mage
- Linda Hargraves - Mage, RN
- Running Deer - Mage
- Chapter Three: Life as an Apprentice
- Chapter Four: Resolution
- Ian - Mage
- Mr. David Greyson - Mage
- Father O'Malley
- Mark Gillain
- Robert J. Scarola - Orphan Mage
- Enrique "Rico" Macias - Cult of Ecstasy Mage
- Shannon Labour - Orphan Mage
- S. A. C. Marcus J. Winter - Mage
- Saarilyn - Mage
- Zeke - Enrique's friend
- Ben - Enrique's friend
Terminology[]
Adeptus, Ananahl, Apprentice, Avatar, Awakening, Blue Coyote Cafe, Cerberus, Child Mages, David Greyson's Guide on How to Die, Disciple, Enochian, Essentia, Faerie, Foci, Horizon Realm, The How of It by Linda Hargraves, Magister Alumnae, Mastery and Teaching by Chas. A. Marketwell (1935, Book), Moxie Java, Orphans, Paradigm, Paradigma, Paradox Effects, Paradox Realms, Paradox Spirits, pater, Quiet, Resonance, Sanctum, sanctum sanctorum, Seeking, Spheres, Starhawk Press, Surviving in the Urban Wild: A Talent's Guide by Robert J. Scarola, Underworld, Vampire, Werewolf, Wild Awakenings, Young Mages: A Survey, essay by Travis McNair,
References[]
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