MAGE CREATION
Mages are the willworkers and spiritualists of the World of Darkness. They bend Reality, twisted it and make it theirs, but not without consequence. They have to be careful that they don't bend it so hard that it breaks. Reality isn't without recourse either. If it disagrees too harshly with what the Mage wants, it will let the Mage known, either with a slap on the wrist or a fireball to the face. Becareful what you ask for, you just might get it with extras.
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We would like it if you took a moment to go over your character concept with one of the STs to make sure that the concept will fit with the setting before you take the time to fill out a sheet and do all the work in making a character for the setting.
We use Mage The Ascension 20th Anniversary for creation of characters within Ossory. Please review this, if you have any questions ask one of the STs for assistance. However, we hope this guide will spell everything out for you in an easy to understand fashion.
Mage - Step 1
Concept
Name, Age, Date of Birth, Place of Birth... Life... Enlightenment
This is rather self explanatory.​ Each of these helps you place your character in the world and to create a well rounded background and thought process when working the rest of your character up.​
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Note: Within Ossory all characters have to be at least 17 years old, Ireland's AoC. This means no children. If you submit a character that is a child you will be denied without explanation.
Concept: You will need to think on a concept about your character. This is who the character is and what they do.
Concepts vary greatly in basis. Some people are Mobsters, others are Doctors. Some are angels while others are demons inside. It is endless. You simply need to come up with who you want your character to be. You can speak to an ST and delve into who the character is and have assistance building who he/or she is. Just remember, this is a character that has a life of its own. Its always best to create characters that are NOT ourselves.
Nature and Demeanor
These are personality archtypes that help explain who your character is inside and out.
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​The Nature of your character is the true personality, what inside. The Demeanor is the face they present for all to see. In some cases it is not unheard of for these to be the same, either way choose carefully and have fun.
The Archtypes are found in the V20, M20 or W20 book. They can also be found on our archtypes page.
Traditions
Mages generally fall into certain traditions. Please see our Mage Information page for help.
Essence
Your essence determains, to an extent, the Avatar's Essence. It's the personality of your magick.
You can check out the Mage Information page for more info.
Character History
This is the meat and potatoes of your character. It is what all the rest of "Step 1" has been preparing you for. This is who your character is. How they grew up. What drives them and what makes them run screaming to the hills.
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We ask that you take your time and think about this. Where your character comes from greatly influences your sheet and how it will look (not the other way around). It also greatly influences what merits and flaws they will have.
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Note: If you have difficulty with this please see our "Biography Help!" page; it will give you some more questions to trigger your thought process.
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Note: If you are writing a long background a timeline is preferable at the beginning to give a character at a glance.
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Note: Do not go crazy with your concept. Too outlandish will be denied with no explanation. Don't make us bang shake our heads and go "WTF-Mate?"
Ex: Former Technocrat Lab Tech, Hunted by the Sabbat, Secretly Kinfolk, turned Vampire Blood Dolly
Mage - Step 2
Attributes (7/5/3)
Physical/Mental/Social
This is where you decide what is most important to your character. Then, what is just a little less important. And, finally, what your character doesn't really focus on.
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Ex. A body guard will likely not bother with Social. And, Mental and Physical would be a toss up depending on what the character wants to focus on.
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Ex. A Scientist would likely not care about their looks, where as their intelligence would be off the charts as well as their dexterity.
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Ex. A socialite would likely not care much about her brains and would focus on her looks and her ability to get things with said looks.​
Attributes can be found on page in the M20 Book. They can also be found on our attributes page.
Abilities (13/9/5)
Talents/Skills/Knowledges
Characters have abilities that lay within the different attributes. However, they do not correspond directly by column. You need to pick which group of abilities your character will focus on (at least at start) and then the second, and finally the third.
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Ex. A doctor will focus more on Knowledges.
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Ex. A fighter will focus more on Talents.​
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Ex. A sneak-thief will focus more on Skills.
A listing of abilities can be found in the M20 book. They can also be found on our abilities page.
Advantages
Backgrounds (7)
This is how you explain how your character influences the world. How much money he has. How famous she is. What contacts he has. What allies. It simply helps balance your character out further.
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Note: If your character does not have Resources your character does not have income or anyway to pay for stuff.
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Advantages can be found within the M20 Book. They can also be found in our advantages page.
Spheres
Spheres are determined by your tradition. Please check the Sphere page for more information.
Note: You cannot have any sphere higher than your Affinity Sphere.
Arete
Arete is how powerful your magick is. You start at 1 and can buy it higher with Freebies.
Note: Your dots in spheres cannot exceed your dots in Arete.
Quintessence and Paradox
This is the raw power of creation. It flows through the mages Avatar. It is directly opposed by Paradox.
Paradox is how much you've deviated from reality. If it meets your Quintessence rating on the wheel, it will begin to cancel it out. Quintessence cannot overwrite Paradox though.
Willpower (5)
As a Mage you are a Will Worker. Your Willpower starts at 5 and can be bought up with Freebies/Experience Points.
Mage - Step 3
Merits and Flaws
Merits and Flaws help flesh a character out.
At this point you can add, but are not required to do so, merits and flaws to your character sheet. Flaws can be used to gain more freebies, where as merits cost freebies.
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Choose carefully! We expect you to play these merits and flaws out!
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Please review our merits and flaws page for the merits and flaws that are approved.
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Note: If you spend merits and flaws we suggest you balance them out at 7 points in each.
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Note: Only the first 7 freebies earned by flaws can be used toward freebies, if you have an excess of 7 spendable freebies (after balancing) you cannot spend the excess.
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Ex. You buy 9 flaws, no merits: you can only use 7 flaw earned freebies. Two of those flaw points give you nothing other than a cool flaw.
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Ex. You buy 10 flaws, 7 merits: you cannot use extra 3 points. The 7 in merits balanced out.
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Ex. You buy 7 flaws, 3 merits: you can use 4 points as freebies.
Mage - Step 4
The Finishing Touches
Equipment
Equipment is anything from Havens (where you live), to cars, or even what weapons you carry around.
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Please look at our equipment page for more information and costs.
Spending Freebies
As a Mage you get 21 Freebies to spend. These points are used to purchase extra dots in anything on your sheet. To the right is a list of how much each dot will cost you depending on where you want to spend it.
Now all you have to do is submit your character to rpossory@gmail.com and wait for a reply! Remember to attach your background and any pictures you may have to go with the character!
