Prime (MTAs)

Prime sigil.

Prime is one of nine Spheres of magic in Mage: The Ascension. The Celestial Chorus, or Chœur Céleste, have occupied the Seat of Prime in the Council of Nine Mystic Traditions since its founding. The Shard Realm of Prime maps physically to Luna.

It is associated with Entropy in the Metaphysical Trinity.

Overview

Prime is the Sphere of magic that governs the raw energy of reality, sometimes called Primal Energy, Quintessence or Odyllic Force. A mage who uses Prime can sense magic of other magi, use the power of the universe to create effects out of nothingness, and can store Quintessence past their Avatar background rating. It is the study of Quintessence, and it is regarded by all the Traditions as a valuable or even holy power. With Prime, magi can create, destroy or reshape the universal energies. A mage can further enchant objects and living creatures with magical energy, fight back the effects of Paradox, use countermagic, and make the changes they exact on the world permanent.

While other Spheres influence the actual stuff of reality, Prime controls the power from which they all spring. Prime moves through the Patterns of Life, Matter, Spirit and Forces, animating them only to be released again when these Patterns expire. It is a cyclic expression of magic itself.

To utilize the Arch-Spheres of Prime, a mage must understand that Paradox is simply a reaction to unrestrained change that goes against the laws that govern the Tellurian. Next, the mage must accept that Paradox is not inherently harmful, but a warning of the Tellurian that their power is out of control and that they have to adress this flaw themself.

Marks

Mages with experience in Prime radiate eeriness and Otherness. Their Resonance and Synergy is way more pronounced than by other mages and Masters usually radiate power and the sense of being something more than most people ever dream of being.

Energies associated with Prime tend to be white in color.

Limits

Though Prime is a powerful Sphere, it relies on other Spheres to actually shape things into being.

Paradigmatic Interpretations

Below is a short representation how the Sphere of Prime is interpretated by the various magickal factions within the World of Darkness.

Traditions

• Akashic Brotherhood: The Akashics see Prime as Chi, the breath of Pangu through which he regulated the flow of chi in the universe and formed the Ten Thousand Things. Identifying it with Akasha, the primal revelation of existence, it is guided by the Sam Chien and aspects itself after Yang (Dynamic), Yin (Entropic) and Li (Static). Akashics try to prevent any imbalance in order to not lose touch with their Awakened nature.
• Celestial Chorus: The Choristers hold Prime as the place of the One, from which everything came and to which everything will return. Seeing Prime as the core of magick itself, the Chorus has a special understanding of it, often utilizing it through hymns to praise the One, each with small divergences to adress the multitude of Resonances within the Tellurian.
• Cult of Ecstasy: The Cult speaks of Prime as "ojas"- concentrations of power within the universe - and assign the emotion of "Joy" among the Nine Sacred Passions to it. Similar to the kundalini points of a human, the Tellurian has lines of force that congregate in special places. The energy contained within ojas, called Shakti by the Cult, is the building block of the universe and is present everywhere.
• Dreamspeakers: The Great Spirits (in general Incarnae, more rarely Celestines) represent Prime within the Umbra. They interact with the mage through avatars of their own. Usually, Dreamspeakers avoid pestering these spirits with their petitions, although a sufficiently powerful Dreamspeaker can attract their notice and be tutored by them. Nearly all Dreamspeakers use Prime in conjection with Spirit, in order to avoid upsetting the local spirit hierarchy too much.
• Euthanatoi: The Euthanatoi speak of Prime as Vac, the primordial sound (a battlecry among the Celts, the Aum among the Indians) that brought the world into existence. Within every thing in every world can its vibration be found, and by listening, the mage attains a state similar to that of the triad of gods that create, preserve and destroy.
• Order of Hermes: The Order of Hermes defines Prime as the Ars Vis (sometimes also Ars Potentiae). It is the imprint of a perfected platonic reality, the domain of the Ascended and Oracles, where every disparaties vanish into Unity. Through contact with Prime, the Hermetic seeks to bring a small part of this perfection into the flawed world he lives in.
• Sons of Ether: The Sons of Ether call Prime "Metaphysical Ether" (or, more irrevently, "the Juice"). Prime is the part of the Ether that contains everything that is not actual, but possible. Each Son of Ether has his own little pet theory on what Prime exactly is, but few can agree on anything besides its utility.
• Verbena: The Verbena see Prime as the union of opposites, the axis mundi of the World Tree. They also tend to see its power with respect and care, as the threads of the World Tree are difficult to work with: Twisting them on one end will result in a backlash from the other end, or even unraveling the whole structure.
• Virtual Adepts: The Virtual Adepts interpret Prime as a huge web of energy that stretches through everything within the Tellurian. At crossings of the web, lifeforms, whether spiritual or corporeal, come into existence. Nodes are seen as anchors that connect these bubbles of existence to the allencompassing web of Prime.

Crafts

• Ahl-i-Batin: Among the Ahl-i-Batini, Prime is the speciality of the Darwushim. Associating it with Hokmah, Prime is seen as the primal energy that flows between Heaven and Earth.
• Kopa Loei: The Kopa Loei call Prime Mana, the energy of every existing thing. The Ali'i channels Mana according to the needs of each person. During this, they have to observe strict taboos in order to avoid defilement of Mana.
• Taftâni: The Taftâni see Prime as Bundahishen - The "Potential Truth" of what could be. Most tend to view it as the purest expression of Asha (Truth) and seek to invest it in as many things as possible, resulting in the wide array of Wonders at the Weaver's command.
• Wu Lung: The Wu Lung call Prime Li, the fundamental core of Heavenly Righteousness that can be found in every living thing. Li is a refinement of the crude chi that saturates the Ten Thousand Things, tempered by reverence to the ancestors and the dictates of Heaven.

Technocratic Union

The majority of the Union practices Prime as the "Primal Field Theory", which states that the Prime element is the smallest known building block of the universe. It is not well understood and subject to various tests to improve it through hypermathematics and scientific flexibility.

The Syndicate practices a variant of Prime known as Primal Utility.

Standard Powers

• ^[1]
  • Etheric Senses: The mage can perceive Quintessential energy, and is alerted when someone uses magic in their vicinity.
  • Effuse Personal Quintessence: Allows the mage to subsume small amounts Quintessence into their personal Pattern above their Avatar rating.
  • Consecration: Allows a mage to enchant an object to change with them during shapeshifting, stepping sideways etc., by imbuing it with their personal Resonance.
• ^[2]
  • Fuel Pattern: Allows the mage to store small amounts of Quintessence in an object.
  • Weave Odyllic Force: The mage can summon bolts of pure Primal Energy against Patterns. This spell is nearly always vulgar.
  • Enchant Patterns: Allows the mage to enchant the natural properties of a Pattern by tapping into its Quintessence, allowing it to interact with ephemeral objects.
  • Create Pattern: In conjecture with other Spheres, the mage can create a simple Pattern out of thin air, by diverging the flow of Quintessence in the Tellurian into the new form he wants to create.
  • Body of Light: Allows the mage to conjure an idealized self projected from ephemeral energy.
• ^[3]
  • Channel Quintessence: The mage can draw free-flowing Quintessence from a Node, Juncture or Tass into their pattern or transfer Quintessence from their own Pattern into another Pattern.
  • Sublimate Quintessential Matter & Forces: Allows the mage to shape inanimate Tass into a temporary Wonder or Periapt.
  • Activate Quintessential Life: Allows a mage to create temporary lifeforms in conjunction with the Life Sphere by drawing Quintessence into a pattern.
  • Enchant Life: Allows a mage to enchant lifeforms to harm Patterns directly.
• ^[4]
  • Expel Base Energy from Matter & Forces: The Mage gains the power to harvest Quintessence directly from inanimate Patterns, draining them from their energy.
  • Sublimate Quintessential Life: The Mage can transform living Tass into pure quintessential energy.
  • Permanently Enchant Matter & Forces: Allows the mage to create stable Wonders and Periapts for personal use.
  • Suffuse Matter & Forces: The Mage can create inanimate Tass from Quintessence.
  • Create Soulgem: The mage can create a small periapt that resonates with their own Avatar, allowing only them to utilize it.
  • Tap Wellspring: At a place of strong Resonance, the mage can gather a small amount of Quintessence from it.
• ^[5]
  • Expel Base Energy from Life: Rend Quintessence from a living Pattern.
  • Alter Quintessential Flow: Allows a mage to refresh a Pattern with new Quintessence.
  • Nullify Paradox: Allows a mage to use Primal Energy to smooth over disturbations in the Tapestry, nullifying Paradox.
  • Permanently Enchant Life: Make enchantments on a living Pattern permanent.
  • Suffuse Life: Consecrate a being with Quintessence to form living Tass.
  • Create Soulflower: Allows a mage to create a living Periapt from their own Avatar.
  • Fountains of Paradise: The mage can create a new Node or Juncture by manipulating the global flow of Quintessence to a strong place of Resonance.

Archspheres

•  ^[6]
  • Cancel Paradox: The mage can cancel any and all manifestations of paradox with quintessence.
  • Paradox Senses: The mage can see Paradox, both in themselves and other mages, as well as the whole Tellurian.
• ^[7]
  • Weave Odyllic Paradox: The mage can raise another mages Paradox ratings.
  • Violate Pattern: The mage can harvest Quintessence directly from the Avatar of a mage.
• ^[8]
  • Channel Paradox: The mage can shift around Paradoxes from the Patterns of mages as he sees fit.
• ^[9]
  • Expel Base Paradox: The mage can expel unwanted Paradox as they sees fit.
  • Create Universe: The mage can create a miniature universe from pure Quintessence to their liking.

References

^  Level 1

Etheric Senses	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 179-180
Etheric Senses	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Effuse Personal Quintessence	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 179-180
Infuse Personal Quintessence	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Consecration	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520

^  Level 2

Fuel Pattern	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 180
Fuel Pattern	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Weave Odyllic Force	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 180
Enchant Patterns	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 180
Enchant Patterns	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Activate Quintessential Matter & Forces	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 180
Create Pattern	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Body of Light	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520

^  Level 3

Channel Quintessence	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 180
Channel Quintessence	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Sublimate Quintessential Matter & Forces	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 180
Craft Periapts And Temporary Wonders	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Activate Quintessential Life	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 180
Enchant Life	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Enchant Life	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520

^  Level 4

Expel Base Energy from Matter & Forces	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Expel Energy	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Sublimate Quintessential Life	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Permanently Enchant Matter & Forces	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Craft Tass And Permanent Wonders	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Suffuse Matter & Forces	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Craft Tass And Permanent Wonders	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Create Soulgem	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Tap the Wellspring	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Tap the Wellspring	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520

^  Level 5

Expel Base Energy from Life	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Withdraw Life Force	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Alter Quintessential Flow	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Nullify Paradox	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Nullify Paradox	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Permanently Enchant Life	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Suffuse Life	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Infuse Life	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Create Soulflower	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Create Soulflower	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Create Node	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181
Create Node	Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 520
Fountains of Paradise	MTAs: Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition	Pg. 181

^  Level 6

Cancel Paradox	Horizon: Stronghold of Hope	Pg. 118
Sense Paradox	Masters of the Art	Pg. 72

^  Level 8

Weave Odyllic Paradox	Masters of the Art	Pg. 72
Violate Pattern	Masters of the Art	Pg. 72

^  Level 8

Channel Paradox

Masters of the Art

Pg. 72

^  Level 9

Expel Base Paradox	Masters of the Art	Pg. 73
Create Universe	Masters of the Art	Pg. 73

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• MTAs: Hidden Lore, p. 70