People say it's "just money" but money can turn into seemingly anything but how about turning into the very stuff of magick? Hypereconomics is a paradigm where practitioners manipulate reality and desire itself with tools no mystick would recognize. In addition, they also have access to the Primal Utility Sphere, pulling quintessence out of businesses and practicing some of the most subtle magick of any mages. This toolbox isn't just for Technocrats and Victor Kinzer, Mage writer, and host of Wa...
May 23, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 97
Fighting the Ascension Conflict isn't all about daring and fighting for principles. Someone has to pay for the Devices, the Sanctums, the cleaning crew, and that's hoping there's enough coin left over to get a vacation every now and then. Enter the Technocracy's Syndicate . Adam and Terry talk about the last 2e Convention book and what makes the shine, as well as the skeletons they have in their closet as they make millions while making billions. Books mentioned Technocracy Assembled 2 - Convent...
May 16, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 96
Mages are often behind the scenes in the war for reality, but what's behind the veil of reality itself? What if reality were just the visible part of some impossibly advanced program? Who's the programmer and what happens if you get access to the code? The God-Machine Chronicle gives a twist on the classic tales of god, angels, and demons. and developer Danielle Lauzon gives us a tour of what awaits those who plot against them. Demon: The Descent - You get to play the demons unchained from the G...
May 09, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 95
Drawing their roots back to ancient Greece and Egypt, the Order of Hermes claims access to hidden knowledge only available to those willing to learn dead languages, find lost tomes, and push their cognitive and physical capacities almost to a breaking point, but it seems to work. Asshat or academics par excellence, schemers or savants? Adam and Terry discuss the storied history of a pivotal Tradition in Tomes of Magick: Order of Hermes. Order of Hermes Tradition Book - 2e book discussed Songs of...
May 02, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 94
It's been almost 7 years since the last Technocracy-only book came out. So what are they up to now? Technocracy Reloaded, the upcoming M20 release on Kickstarter starting April 28th answers that question in spades. Developers Danielle Lauzon and Travis Legge sit down with Terry for a wide-ranging conversation on how the Technocracy has been updated for the 21st century. Has there been a civil between the Syndicate and the NWO? What's it like having a family in the Technocracy? Can one of the Fal...
Apr 25, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 93
Mage is a sprawling game and while it has dozens of supplements, how do you put them together into an actual game? Book of Mirrors: Mage Storytellers Handbook was written to provide ideas on alternative chronicle settings, some basic how tos, and an invaluable survey of the Ascension War. Adam and Terry walk through what it has to offer and provide recommendations for the parts that haven't aged so well. Book of Shadows - the player guide for Mage for 1e and 2e Book of Madness - a fuller look at...
Apr 18, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 92
Mage has the Marauders, Nephandi, and Technocrats as default antagonists, but what about something a little off the beaten path? In Enemies of Ascension, we look at antagonists Storytellers can introduce and NPCs players can encounter from the wider World of Darkness. Charlie Cantrell , Changeling the Dreaming: 20th Anniversary writers talks to Terry about the Adhene, Thallain, and Dauntain from the world of the Changeling and how to add them to your game. Charlie's Books: Changeling the Dreamin...
Apr 11, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 91
The first Mage Storytellers screen came out in 1993 and is a late entry for Tomes of Magick. This screen had a player-facing image that has caused a lot of talk over the years. Angel of Mercy is an adventure that was included. Hear all about what's in it and what it can do for you. Adam Simpson also adds some material to his earlier discussion of published adventures for Mage the Ascension. Mage ST screens at Dragons Trove Mage ST screens at eBay Storytellers Vault Our executive producers are: R...
Apr 04, 2020•33 min•Season 3Ep. 90
The Dreamspeakers were assembled during the Grand Convocation by the Eurasian mages who weren't quite sure to do with the varied practices and paradigms of their indigenous peers. Indigenous magick is a varied topic with rich gaming opportunity, but how do we add it to our games while being respectful? James Sambrano, Mage writer and scholar of North American and African Indigenous practices provides some best practices, pitfalls, resources, and recommendations to adding these paradigms and prac...
Mar 28, 2020•1 hr 32 min•Season 3Ep. 89
The World of Darkness is inhabited with all manner of creatures and some are not unique to one line. Ghouls and and chimera are associated with vampires and changelings, but what about spirits? Spirits are associated with mages and werewolf alike and Axis Mundi: The Book of Spirits explores both sides...but mostly werewolf. Adam and Terry walk through how to expand the Mage side, adapt the werewolf side and explore what strange and wonderful creatures you can add to your chronicle. Other Books M...
Mar 21, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 88
Mage has mechanics for injury to the body with health levels and injuries to your grip on reality with Quiet, but what about anxiety, PTSD, and other debilitating conditions? James Davey is a long time World of Darkness fan who's designed a game with that question in mind where characters glimpse the size of the multiverse granting both great power but with great stakes. The game emphasizes rapid character and story creation, and a core clock mechanic that drives plot, character advancement, ten...
Mar 14, 2020•54 min•Season 3Ep. 87
The Dreamspeakers were initially presented as the ragtag band that has been spoken to by Gaia but in Second Edition their draw and depth expanded considerably. They are the travelers through the Dreamtime, warriors of the visionquest, and keepers of the balance but what does this mean? Adam and Terry talk about their practice, history, and paradigm as they discuss The Dreamspeakers Tradition Book . Midnight Express Wu-Keng episode - BK and Terry talk Wu-Keng 307 RPG Podcast - Terry talks about S...
Mar 07, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 86
Mage is a game of hope, action, and hubris in a world that is dark. Sometimes the darkness wins and we go from punk and gothic to horror. Bryce Perry from the horror game podcast Darker Days joins Terry to talk about how to add horror to your mage game. Just a note, this episode contains discussion of body horror, family terror, harm to children and family conceptually and a number of other things. Look below to get an idea of what we go over. The Baali - Group of vampires who do terrible things...
Feb 29, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 85
The Umbra is explored by many Night-Folk with wraiths in the Shadowlands, changelings in the Dreaming, and Werewolves in the Velvet Shadow. What about mages? Adam and Terry provide a tour of the Tellurian and the Realms of limitless potential full of warring gods, metaphors made real and more than one set of dinosaurs in Beyond the Barrier: The Book of Worlds . Umbral Map - A translation of the French map of the Umbra Mars Trilogy - Sci fi books by Kim Stanley Robinson where a central theme is "...
Feb 22, 2020•1 hr 43 min•Season 3Ep. 84
The world of Mage is one where characters have great power which must be exercised carefully or Paradox will strike. On the other side of the subtly coin is Exalted where whose tagline is "What legends will they tell of your deeds?" Exalted's 3rd edition is out and Chazz Kellner, Exalted author and cohost of The Story Told tells Terry about the high energy energy world of Creation and the systems and settings you can steal from it for your Mage game. Notes! Graceful Wicked Masques - 2e book abou...
Feb 15, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 83
Mage defaults to the Traditions, Technocracy, Nephandi and Marauders, but what about mages who've stepped away from the Ascension War? Crafts are groups of mages who often work tightly tied to a paradigm and culture and Book of Crafts dives into eight of these. Terry and Adam talk templars, dragon wizards, mambos, righteous crocodile gods, kahunas, and more. White Wolf Magazine - Magazine that ran through the mid 90s. Dragons of the East - Revised book that update the Wu-Keng and Wu Lung Midnigh...
Feb 08, 2020•1 hr 31 min•Season 3Ep. 82
Vikings! Runes! Thor! Woven anti-spear magic shirts! The Norse culture is a perennial favorite source of inspiration in the West but what was their magic like? Josh Heath of the Open Halls Project explains to Terry how to introduce Norse magic and supernatural elements into your Mage game. Open Halls Project - Josh's project to help serve Heathens in the armed forces Ghost Court - a ridiculous party game for 6 or more players about ghosts and the people who sue them. Heathenry - a reconstructed ...
Feb 01, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 81
Mage games aren't always at the gritty front lines of the Ascension War or hardscrabble games of survival, it has its places of wonder and hope. Horizon, the Stronghold of Hope is the seat of the Council of the Nine Mystic Traditions and there the nine Primii of the nine Traditions plan, argue, and often scheme in a rich fantasy setting with over 120 other mages. Adam and Terry give a scenic tour of Horizon from Posht, to sword eating contests, to why you should never wear white in November, als...
Jan 25, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 80
The early Nephandi were introduced as a tie in for Werewolf: The Apocalypse but over time they've gone from slavering cultists to the Wyrm to something more insidious. Satyros and Jax talk with Adam and Terry about the state of the Nephandi in M20 as revealed in Book of the Fallen and the heartache and tragedy in which the book was forged. 1d4 Con . Community convention in Shephardstown, West Virginia May 15-17th, 2020 Jax author of Safety Rules for Vampire 5th Edition and Changeling the Lost Ea...
Jan 18, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Season 2Ep. 79
Mummies, to quote the Euthanatoi "Are mummies stuck on the Wheel, or do they ride it like experts?" Originally stuck at no more than 42, a new breed of the immortal walk the earth. They fight the Wyrm in the form of Apophis but also fiercely contest the Web of Faith. Where did they come from, what can they do, and how can you use them in a Mage chronicle? Joel Cotton, veteran Mummy and Mage storyteller shares how to integrate the undying into your game. Tales from Dreaming Spires - A Technocracy...
Jan 11, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 78
The Cult of Ecstasy explores the liminal spaces between the magickal and mundane and between the emotive and cerebral to return with wisdom. Plus sex, drugs, and various musical genres not exclusively rock. Adam and Terry discuss the Cult's varied methods of exploring outer and inner spaces of experience, their history, and their magick. Show Notes: Ascension's Landscape is free on the Storyteller's Vault until Jan 9th. Terry wrote this walk-through of setting up the metaphysical world of Mage. ...
Jan 04, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 77
Two interviews!!! Why aren't old books available in PoD? What's next for RPG book publishing? Where does your $45 for a hardback go? Matt McElroy answers these questions and more in a sit down with Terry Robinson from PAX Unplugged. Then, Travis Legge gives a short sneak preview of Technocracy Reloaded, as well as how to make the ST Vault work as a creator and a year in review of the Onyx Path's Twitch Channel. Astral Tabletop - Free Virtual Tabletop Software Pugmire - A game where you're a dog!...
Dec 28, 2019•46 min•Season 2Ep. 76
Patriarchs or pariahs? Servants of the One or Sactimonious willows? All, none? The Celestial Chorus has morphed considerably from harbingers of armageddon to crypto-Catholics to egalitarian home of all religions. Find out how Chorus has changed over its multi-millenium history and where it's trying to go with Adam and Terry. Traditions Gathered 3: Swords of Faith Useful conversation on religion in Mage with James Estes Ars Magica , precursor to Mage notable for a list of things you can't do Undo...
Dec 21, 2019•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 75
Two interviews this week! First, World War II shook the mortal world providing example upon example of how no dark forces in the shadows are required for there to be atrocities. But how did the Awakened respond? Matt Webb of Jackalope Live Action Studios talks about the setting and process for Mage Noir, a boutique LARP set in 1940s America. Second, so why does Mage look like it does? Rich Thomas, artist, creative director, and head of Onyx Path Publishing talks with Terry at PAX Unplugged about...
Dec 14, 2019•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 74
The mystery and mood of Mage are heavily informed by the art and artistry on the Mage tarot deck. Every edition of the Mage Core Rulebook has featured The Magician. and almost every book leads with a card or spread. What are these cards? Why are they special to Mage? What can they add to your game? Terry sits down with occult instructor and author of Nothing But a Pack of Cards , S Rune Emerson to talk about what these 78 cards can do for your table. Mage Tarot on Drivethrucards Anders Tarot Gam...
Dec 07, 2019•50 min•Season 2Ep. 73
Mage is often an intimate game revolving around neighborhoods, a small cast, and the hopes and perils of magick. But sometimes, Mage is about making sure space dragons don't eat your voidship and that may take depleted uranium and some Accelerated Force Cannons. Void Engineers is very much for that second type of game. Adam and Terry dive into the first real look we have of mages in space and far beyond the protections of the Horizon . Where is the COP ? Who's Tychoides ? What's the difference b...
Nov 30, 2019•52 min•Season 2Ep. 72
RPGs have changed over time and one new family of play options involve handing players ways to change the story outside of the actions of their characters. Matthew Dawkins is an in-house developer for The Onyx Path and talks with Terry about ways to bring metanarrative tools into your games as well as some healthy speculation about what M5 should be. Also, if you see this before December 5th, another Matthew Project Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition is on kickstarter. If you like what you hear, go ba...
Nov 23, 2019•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 71
The Council gets their Tradition books, the Technocracy gets their Convention books, but what about the Hollow Ones? Not necessarily Orphans, not quite a craft, these creatures of modernity claim to go back to at least the Jazz Age but how do you play one? Outcasts: A Players Guide to Pariahs was the first supplement to give more information on this collection of goths and romantics along with information on the Caitiff of Vampire and the Ronin of Werewolf. Adam and Terry talk about the Hollow O...
Nov 16, 2019•48 min•Season 2Ep. 70
James Estes, former Mage writer and current professor and library director, takes some time to talk with us about religion in Mage. Can it contribute something to our Chronicles and how should we handle it? He also shares his experiences about writing for Mage and offers advice for those thinking of contributing to Storytellers Vault. James Estes bio James Estes Web site Wesley Theological Seminary Celestial Chorus Tradition Book Halls of the Arcanum Guild Encyclopedias...
Nov 09, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 69
Mage's Second Edition Core Rulebook had a strict page count and clocked in at fewer pages than First Edition. So what were these missing pages and where did they go? Hidden Lore was the collection of all the materials that ran over the page count and for the Second Edition Storyteller it's your best source for additional rotes and systems as well as an entire cabal. Terry and Adam discuss what to take from it and what to leave behind. in this episode of Tomes of Magick. Troupe play from Ars Magi...
Nov 02, 2019•44 min•Season 2Ep. 68
