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The Book of Madness

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See also: Book of Madness Revised

The Book of Madness details the alien forces of darkness, chaos and madness which challenge the mages of Earth; specifically the Nephandi, Marauders, Demons, Paradox Spirits, and the Umbrood.

Summary[]

From the White Wolf catalog:

The Darkness has Teeth
Beyond the Horizon, dark forces claw at the edges of sanity, battering at the fabric of reality, seeking final night:
Nephandi, the Corrupters
Marauders, the Foot-Soldiers of Chaos
Demons, the Renders of Souls
Paradox Spirits, the Mage's Bane
Umbrood, the Living Mysteries
What are they? Why are they? Can we stand against them all? And what if we cannot?
...And It Hungers!
The Book of Madness is a bestiary for Mage: The Ascension, exploring the darker reaches of magick's touch. It includes:
  • Details about a mage's deadliest foes;
  • Dozens of mystic creatures from the Dark Side;
  • Storyteller hints, cosmology, and more.

Contents[]

Prelude: Vultures[]

Fiction. A mage named Amanda meets Alexander Gericault, who was her lover in her previous incarnation, and who explains why the other mages of her cabal might not trust her.

Introduction: Elemental Howls[]

An overview of the book.

Chapter One: The Nephandi[]

Written by Sam Inabinet. Details the mage servants of Oblivion, including their masters, allies, and magic.

  • Glossary
  • Qlippothic Entropy Effects
    • • Common Sense
    • •• The Long Arm of Murphy's Law
    • ••• The Sleep of Reason
    • •••• The Inheritance of the Flesh
    • ••••• Obliteration
  • Talismans
    • ••• Whispering Stone (A: 3, Q: 15)
    • •••• Lash of Passion (A: 6, Q: 20)

Chapter Two: Paradox[]

Written by Sam Inabinet. Musings on the nature of Paradox and its manifestations.

Chapter Three: The Marauders[]

Written by Kathleen Ryan. Stories of the Marauders, told by the Corax Johnny Gore to the Marauder Stephen Warwick.

  • Definitions of Unfamiliar Terms
  • Zooterrorism
    • Correspondence 5 (Direct transport from point A to point B)
    • Life 5, Prime 2 (Actually creating this critter before your very eyes)
    • Life 3, Prime 2 (Creating simple forms of life)
    • Mind 4 (Control Minds)
    • Spirit 4 (Control Gauntlet)
    • Spirit 2 (Call Spirit)

Chapter Four: Demons and Demon Cults[]

Written by Steve Brown. Rules and background for Diabolists and Infernalists amongst mages.

Chapter Five: The Umbrood[]

Written by Bill Bridges. Spirits of the Middle and Upper Umbra.

Appendix: Systems[]

Written by Bill Bridges. New spirit rules, changed from those presented in the original Mage rulebook to be compatible with Werewolf: The Apocalypse. It also contains rules for the Ritualis Infernal (Hedge Magic paths which are learned by Diabolists), Demonic Investments, Magick rituals, and some new Knowledge Abilities. The final page lists some recommended reading.

  • Spirit Traits
  • Charms
    • Common Charms
      • Airt Sense
      • Armor
      • Healing
      • Materialize
      • Reform
    • Specialty Charms
      • Appear
      • Blast Flame
      • Break Reality
      • Calcify
      • Cleanse the Blight
      • Control Electrical Systems
      • Create Fires
      • Create Wind
      • Disorient
      • Flood
      • Forest Sense
      • Freeze
      • Frozen Breath
      • Ice Shards
      • Influence
      • Lightning Bolts
      • Mind Speech
      • Open Moon Bridge
      • Shapeshift
      • Shatter Glass
      • Short Out
      • Solidify Reality
      • Spirit Static
      • Spirit Away
      • Throw Glass
      • Tracking
      • Umbraquake
      • Updraft
    • Bane and Demon Charms
      • Animate
      • Blighted Touch
      • Corruption
      • Possession
  • Dark Sorcery Paths
    • The Fires of Inferno
    • The Path of Summoning
      • • Calling
      • •• Spirit Summoning
      • ••• Minor Summoning
      • •••• Prime Summoning
      • ••••• Great Summoning
    • The Path of Lust and Torment
      • Lust Rituals
        • • Ecstasy
        • •• Attraction
        • ••• The Wave of Pleasure
        • •••• Paralyzation
        • ••••• Mass Lust
      • Torment Rituals
        • • Hurt
        • •• Hunger
        • ••• Agony
        • •••• Pangs of Hell
        • ••••• Mass Torment
  • Demonic Investments
    • Body Armor (variable)
    • Lightning Speed (variable)
    • Super Strength (variable)
    • Apport Object (4 pts)
    • Eyes of the Abyss (4 pts)
    • Imp Familiar (4 pts)
    • Bestial Form (5 pts)
    • Sign of the Inferno (5 pts)
    • Hand of the Defiler (6 pts)
    • Emotion Projection (6 pts)
    • Regeneration (9 pts)
  • New Knowledge Abilities
    • Court Lore
    • Spirit Names
    • Spirit Lore
  • Recommended Reading
    • Alighieri, Dante - The Inferno
    • Benet, Stephen Vincent - "The Devil and Dan'l Webster"
    • Brust, Steven - To Reign in Hell
    • Carus, Paul - The History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil
    • Chaosium Games - Call of Cthulhu
    • Dann, Jack and Dozois, Gardener, - Demons!
    • DC Comics - John Constantine: Hellblazer, Swamp Thing (Allan Moore), Sandman, Doom Patrol and Doctor Occult
    • de Givry, Grillot - Witchcraft, Magic, and Alchemy
    • Early, Christopher and Chupp, Sam - Maleficium and Pax Dei
    • Legner, Ernst and Johanna - Picture Book of Devils, Demons and Witchcraft
    • Lewis, C.S. - The Screwtape Letters
    • Lovecraft, Howard Phillips - Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Supernatural
    • Marlowe, Christopher - The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus
    • Milton, John - Paradise Lost
    • Pratchett, Terry - The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic
    • Time-Life Books - Wizards and Witches (Enchanted World Series)

Background Information[]

(...)

Memorable Quotes[]

“ "Who, Me? I'm working with you." - Ahl-i-Batin barabbi ”


“ "Can you pass judgment on a hurricane?" - Jonathan Francis Gore, Corax ”

Characters[]

Terminology[]

Glossary (Nephandi): Adsinistatus (pl. Adsinistrati; Tempters, Corrupters), Ahriman, Aswad (pl. Aswadim), Barabbi, Caul, Dragon's Tongue, Gilledian, Iblitic (Ibitie, Iblisite, Iblisi), Infernalist, K'llasshaa, Labyrinth, Malfean, Malleus Neffandorum (compiled by Abba Rabbiath and Frater Decimus), Nephandus (pl. Nephandi; adj. Nephandic; archic: Neffandery), Outsider, Pawn (Churls, Snotlings), Pit, Prelatus (pl. Prelati; Sentinels, Crones/Cronies), Qlippoth (pl. Qlippothim), Shaytan (Wounders, Haters), Widderslainte; Definitions of Unfamiliar Terms (Marauders): Ahroun, Arcadia, Bai Dai, Black Spiral Dancers, Celestines, Changing Kin, Fomori, Galliard, Garou, Gauntlet, Horizon Realms, Near Umbra, Patchwork Kin, Pentex, Pure Ones, Quiet, Tass, Technocrats, Traditions, Umbra, Umbral Underground, Weaver, Wyld, Wyrm, Wyrmspawn; 1346, 1348, 1900, 1936, 1938, 1943, 1994, Abyss, Acolytes, Aeon (Urge Wyrms, Fenris, Lion, Pegasus, Raven), Africa, Ahl-i-Batin, Antediluvian, Antitribu, Asia, Astral Umbra, Atrocity Realm, Baali, Babylon, Bane, Batini Qutbs, Battleground, Bestiary of the Forgotten by Stephen of Warwick, Black Dog Games, Black Fury, Black Pit of Unfathomable Foulness, Black Spiral Labyrinth, Blood Cult, Boroboro Island, Bracketon, Burning Times, Butcher Street Regulars, Cabal of Pure Thought, Castle Schroder, Celestial Chorus, Cerberus, Charm, Chicago, Chimerae, China, Circle of Red (Shaytan Assassins), Corax, Cockatrice, Court Servitors, CRS Plague, Cults: The Black Stone Trinity (Black Stone Brethren: splinter group), The Cult of the Black Heart, The Order of Jadrax, The Cult of Vugarius (Hecatomb Ritual); Cultists, Dark Cathedral of Uzhuvrath, Dark Thaumaturgy, Dark Umbra, Deep Umbra, Demon, Demonic Investments, Demon Lords, Demon Ranks: Servitors, Tempters, Lords; Digital Web, Doctrine of Unity, Doissetep, Drachus Vachar, Egypt, Elemental, England, Entropic Chant, Epiphlings, Erebus, Europe, Fey, Fianna, Foci, Gaffling, Gaia, Greece, Gurahl, Hedge Magick, Hell, HIT Mark VI, HIT Mark VII, Hobgoblins, Household of the Jade Demon, Ialdabaoth, Ikhwan at-Tawhid, Infernalism, Infernalist Mages, Infernal Pact, Iowa, Jaggling, Ka Luon, Kentucky, London, Lords, Los Angeles, Madrid, Maeljin Incarna, Magick, Malfeas, Marauder, Mexico City, Middle East, Middle Umbra, Mindscapes, Minion (Spirits; Hestilcs, Xlenobobs), Moon Paths, Mount Qaf, Mythic Age, Mythic Beasts, Naturae Spirits, Nephandi, New Mexico, New York City, North America, Nuwisha, Oracle, Order of Reason, Outer Fringes, Outsiders, Outside Things That Must Not Be, Outer Things, Pact, Pangaea, Paradigm, Paradox, Paradox Backlash, Paradox Flaw, Paradox Realm, Paradox Spirit, Paradox Storm, Paradox Zone, Path of Evil Revelations, Patronage, Penumbra, Peregrine Gate, Persia, Piercing Fist (Maneuver), Pluto, Possession, Preceptors, Qlippothic Entropy, Realm, Rebirth, Ritual, Ritualis Infernal, Sabbat, Sanctum, Scar, Second Seven (Cabal), Sept of Grandmother Thunderwyrm, Seventh Generation, Shard Realm, Sh'kinas (Realm of Light), Sleeper Diabolists, Sorcery (Paths: The Fires of Inferno, The Path of Summoning, The Path of Lust and Torment), Spain, Sphinx's Lair, Spirit, Stepping Sideways, Stone-shattering Blow (Vulgar Rote), Talisman, Tapestry, Tellurian, Thaumivores, Totem, Tremere, Triat, Uktena, Umbral Court (Court of Shadows; Western Court, Eastern Court, Egyptian Court, Lodge of the Sky), Unbelief, Underbelly of the Wyrm, Unseelie Faeries, United States, University of Light, Uthra (Luna, Helios, Jupiter), Utica, Warbots, Watchers of the Void (Cabal), Web of Faith, Wing Kong Elite (Cabal), Woodstock, World War II, Wyrm Urge of Gluttony, Xiphii (Giant intelligent swordfish), Zigg'Raugglurr, Zöoterrorism,

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