GURPS Mage: The Ascension is the official adaptation of White Wolf's World of Darkness storytelling game Mage: The Ascension to Steve Jackson Games' GURPS rules system.
Summary[]
From the back cover:
- Truth Until Paradox
- Humanity lies ignorant, wandering through their empty lives like sheep.
- The true power in the world comes not from wealth or armies or science.
- There is only one true power. The arcane arts. The power of the soul. Reality programming.
- Magick.
- Enter the World of Darkness, where mages of the awakened Traditions battle the cold Technocracy in an ancient war to decide the fate of humanity's fragile souls.
- Wield incredible, earth-shaking power, but do not be too arrogant, for all power has its price. The forces of Paradox wait to destroy those who bend reality too much.
- Enter a world without limits. Enter a world where everything is possible.
Prologue[]
Letter to Dr. Mautzenberg from Taylor (Pg. 5)
Document by Luis Aragones from October 12, 1215 (Order of Hermes Mage) (Pg. 6)
Stephen (Order of Hermes Mage) (Pg. 9)
alt.magick.virtual-adepts (Newsgroup for Virtual Adept Mages) (Pg. 10-13)
Introduction[]
1. On the Dark Side[]
The world which you are about to enter will seem very familiar. The geography is the same, as is much of the history. But it is different from our world - darker, sadder, dirtier, and much more sinister. Corporations are megalithic powers, wielding influence that makes them all but untouchable. Governments are corrupt. People are more cynical - the world is going to Hell, and everyone knows it and is hanging on for the ride. The environment is collapsing and urban decay is spreading. Vampires haunt the cities, preying upon the humans there. In the few remaining wilderness areas, the last werewolves fight their long battle against the creeping destruction of nature.
And hidden among the mortals are the most powerful ones of all - the ones who have the power to forestall the Vampires' Gehenna and the Werewolves' Apocalypse. They are the ones who can reshape the very fabric of reality at their whim.
The mages.
Welcome to Your World...[]
Gothic-Punk[]
The Mages[]
The Search for Ascension[]
Cabals[]
Chantries[]
Sample Chantries:
The Protocols[]
Other Powers[]
2. Characters[]
Mages are as varied as the Sleepers from whose numbers they spring. Although the different Traditions each have their own "uniform", the person behind the robe - or the drum, or the googles - is an individual to the utmost degree, made even more so by his unique avatar - his share of the primal spirit of the Universe. But however different, all mages ultimately share the same goal: the search for Ascension.
Creating a Mage[]
Advantages[]
Disadvantages[]
Skills[]
New Advantages[]
New Disadvantage[]
New Skills[]
Traditions[]
Spheres[]
Quintessence and Paradox[]
3. The Traditions[]
Most Mages of the World of Darkness have organized into groups collectively called "Traditions." Nine of these Traditions are describe here, though there are a few other, smaller groups. One group of mages called the Hollow Ones (not a true Tradition) is presented as well.
- Akashic Brotherhood
- Celestial Chorus
- Cult of Ecstasy
- Dreamspeakers
- Euthanatos
- Hollow Ones
- Order of Hermes
- Sons of Ether
- Verbena
- Virtual Adepts
4. Magick[]
To be a mage is to be Awakened, to know the true nature of reality. To be a mage is to wield Magick. Magick is "the process of causing reality to conform with will." It is the actualization of desire. Through magick, all things are possible, and whatever the mage desires to be, shall be. This is far different from magic (without the "k"), which is nothing more than stage tracks of misdirection and illusion performed by entertainers. True magick involves an enlightened understanding of reality and an iron willpower to bend that reality.
The Metaphysic of Magic[]
Belief and Paradigms[]
Static Reality[]
Quintessence[]
Nodes[]
Tass[]
Creating Magickal Effects[]
Static, or "Coincidental," Magick[]
The Process of Magick[]
Countermagick[]
Acting in Concert[]
Rotes[]
Talismans[]
The Burden of Foci[]
Focus List[]
The Nine Spheres of Knowledge[]
Beyond Mastery - The Oracles[]
The Spheres[]
5. Permutations[]
Mage characters are much, much more than just numbers and powers - there are aspects to their being and their play that require further exploration. This chapter outlines rules and systems that are unique to the setting of Mage.
Magick and Skills[]
Ascension and Raising Arete[]
paradox[]
Quiet[]
Injury and Death[]
Do - The Martial Arts Style[]
The Prelude[]
6. Into the Umbra[]
The World of Darkness is more than a simple mood or a texture. The supernatural is native to the setting - ghosts haunt opera houses, vampires roam the night streets, faerie changelings seek a return to Arcadia, and a race of shamanistic werewolves protects the few remaining wildernesses. Each competes to shape the world for its own ends, and in its own image. Yet this struggle for dominance takes place outside the perceptions of the average person. The supernatural forces war with one another behind a veil.
The Near Umbra[]
Realms[]
The Deep Umbra[]
The Barriers[]
Dwellers in the Other Darkness[]
7. The Technocracy[]
One of the direst threats to true Ascension is the Technocracy, a legion of mages who follow the banner of science. Once, the Technocracy's goal was to protect humanity on its path to Ascension, to defend the humans from the dangers posed by the other inhabitants of the universe. To achieve this goal, the Technocracy created barriers between the worlds of spirit and matter, making matter itself a safe haven of physical "reality" wherein humanity could pursue its path to Ascension.
Rise of the Technocracy[]
Grip of the Technocracy[]
The Conventions[]
Techno Tangents: Sons of Ether and the Virtual Adepts[]
8. Bestiary[]
Beyond the Sleepers and other mages there are beings of many kinds and many origins with whom the Traditions interact, and sometimes do battle.
Spirits and Umbral Denizens[]
Umbrood:
- Lord Killavaro, Umbrood Lord (Pg. 167-168)
- Lady of Feathers, Umbrood Preceptor (Pg. 168)
- Vincula, Umbrood Minions (Pg. 168)
- Guardian Spirits
Paradox Spirits:
- Farandwee (Correspondence 4) (Pg. 169)
- Hex (Entropy 1) (Pg. 169)
- Igtukra the Unbridled (Forces 5) (Pg. 169)
- Prokaryote (Life 1) (Pg. 169)
- Terra Firma (Matter 4) (Pg. 170)
- Dementia Paradox (Mind 3) (Pg. 170)
- Dorobo (Prime 2) (Pg. 170)
- Rune-Fetter (Spirit 3) (Pg. 170)
- Wrinkle (Time 5+) (Pg. 170)
Allies of the Nephandi:
- Pure Form (Pg. 171)
- The Zigg'raugglurr (Pg. 171)
- Demons (Pg. 171)
Creatures of the Realm:
- Fomori (Pg. 172)
- Hyper Intelligence Technologies Mark V (Pg. 172-173)
- Men in Black (Pg. 173)
- Superiors (Pg. 173)
- Werewolves (Pg. 173)
- Vampires (Pg. 174-175)
- Ghouls (Pg. 175)
Creatures of the Mythic Age[]
Refer to the book, GURPS Fantasy Bestiary.
9. Conversions[]
Many players will come to GURPS with Mage characters already designed in the Storyteller system. To make things simpler, this chapter contains notes for converting characters from one system to the other. Characters converted with these rules will have the same abilities, and more important, they will "feel" and play like their Mage counterparts.
Ratings[]
Required Advantages and Disadvantages[]
Essence, Nature and Demeanor[]
Tradition[]
Attributes[]
Abilities[]
Backgrounds[]
Other[]
Sample Conversions[]
Lexicon[]
Common Parlance[]
Old Form[]
Vulgar Argot[]
Index[]
Background Information[]
This would be the last book published under the GURPS license due to disagreements between White Wolf and Steve Jackson Games over the manuscript and delayance of this book.
Thus canceling the plans for GURPS Werewolf: The Apocalyse Companion, GURPS Mage: The Ascension Companion, GURPS Wraith: The Oblivion, GURPS Wraith: The Oblivion Companion, GURPS Changeling, and GURPS Changeling Companion.
Sources: Shadis #16 Nov. 1994 and Shadis #17 Jan. 1995, SJ Flames White Wolf For Bad-Faith Behavior by Steve Jackson on rec.games.frp.misc and An Open Letter from Stephan Wieck on alt.games.whitewolf
Memorable Quotes[]
Characters[]
- O'Malley (Mage) (Pg. 37)
- Sample Mage: Damien (Virtual Adepts Mage) (Pg. 51)
- Ke Chan (Akashic Brotherhood Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Reverend Hargus (Celestial Chorus Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Jimi H. (Cult of Ecstasy Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Dr. Alicia Muldair-Phipps (Dreamspeaker Mage) (Pg. 53)
- "Darker" (Euthanatos Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Magister Apollonius (Order of Hermes Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Fraulein Doktor Margrethe Heidel (Son of Ether Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Sunhawk (Verbena Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Phaze Zycle (Virtual Adept Mage) (Pg. 53)
- Sascha (Female Mage) (Pg. 73)
- Delavan (Mage) (Pg. 143)
- 778 Bravo Foxtrot Delta (HIT Mark) (Pg. 153)
- Delos (Virtual Adept Mage) (Pg. 129)
- Siona (Female Mage) (Pg. 165)
- Melarch (Mage) (Pg. 177)
- Sample Conversions: Helstrom (Cult of Ecstasy Mage) (Pg. 185-186)
- Sample Conversions: Rhiannon (Female Order of Hermes Mage) (Pg. 186-187)
External Links[]
- Steve Jackson Games Listing (Contains Errata and Designer's Notes)
- Warehouse 23 Listing
- Access Denied! (Robert M. Schroeck's website)
References[]
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