Archived-Mage: The Awakening

Over View

Released in 2005, Mage: The Awakening is a roleplay game set in the New World of Darkness, a series of games published by White Wolf. The players characters in the game have access to magic, the ability to bend reality to their wills, but such power does not come without consequences. While Mages discover their powers they also discover that the contains a lot more then they thought. From factions attempting to use magic to control the world, to a dark abyss where horrible creatures seek entry into the world to devour it. All the while mages still have to deal with the mundane world, and how their new lives rarely mix well with their old ones.

Common Mage lore suggests that long ago in the past there was an island, called Atlantis, with a large imposing mountain in the centre, upon which dragons made their home. Humanity was at its infancy, consisting of barbaric tribes, and survival being the only thing that mattered against the monsters of the world. As the dragons left some humans had dreams of the island and sort it out, those that made it found caves of dragon bones that resinated with magic. As their magical ability developed, and their powers grew, they came to build the great city known as Atlantis. Other names have been suggested, such as Meru or Lemuria, but the truth has been lost to the ages.

Paths

Every Mage upon awakening is drawn to a Watchtower, a realm within the Supernal world, where they sign their name and gain the ability to draw magic across Abyss. A watchtower helps define a mage, and the type of magic they can access often affects their personalities, but not always.

• Acanthus - Known as the Enchanters of the Awakened community. With their powers of Fate and Time they often live in the moment. Seen by some as a breath of fresh air, and others as immature and childish.
• Mastigos - Called Warlocks by many, the Mastigos tend to see themselves as masters of all. They possess the powers of Mind and Space, and are often ruthless in using them to acheive their goals.
• Moros - Due to their mastery of Death and Matter the Moros have earnt the name Necromancers. They tend to have somber views of the universe, knowing death treats all equally it's hard to maintain a view of good and evil.
• Obrimos - All Obrimos have a divine inspired Awakening, leading to them being called the Theurgists by other mages. With Forces and Prime at their sides they are often devoted to high caueses with neigh-unshakable wills.
• Thyrsus - With their deep connection to Life and Spirit the Thrysus are known as Shamans to other Awakened. They are often known for following their primal natures, instint and passion leading them over reason.

Orders

For as long as the Awakened can remember there have always been the Dimond orders, recently they have become the pentacle with the inclusion of the Free Council.

• Adamantine Arrow - These Claws of the Dragon seak to protect the Penticle through force. Their philosiphy is the Adamant Way, a lifestyle that encourages strength and adaptability. It's members seek to prove their resolve and uphold their honour in the face of any conflict.
• Free Council - The youngest of the orders, the free council seeks to bring magic into the modern era. Often disbelieving of the old Atlantean tales, the Free Council members often believe that change is for the best and push the boundries of both Science and Magic.
• Guardians of the Veil - Descended from the Eye of the Dragon the Guardians see themselves as the police of all Awakened. Beleiving that Vulgar Magic and Paradoxes strengthen the Abyss they do whatever it takes to keep magic a secret, and punish those who abuse it.
• Mysterium - Often known as the Lore Masters of the Penticle, these Wings of the Dragon are both old fashioned researches and Indiana Style Archiologists. They seek to learn all they can from the past, both it's knowledge, and the lessons that lead to the fall Atlantis.
• Silver Ladder - Descended from the priests and viziers of Atlantis, collectively known as the Vox Draconis, The Silver Ladder believes that its place is to lead the rest of the Penticle mages. Their main goal is to reunite the Fallen World with the Supernal Realm, so that all humans can access the magic that is their right.
• Apostate - Apostates are mages that have not joined any Order of awakened and instead make do on their own. Often they do not even join a Cabal, which leads to much distrust from other members of the Awakened community.

The Others

• Seers of the Throne
• Banishers
• The Mad

Legacies

Name	Path	Order	Left Handed	Book and Page	Description
Awakening Gambit	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	The Awakening Gambit are a Legacy who seek to shunt people into situations where they are forced to Awaken in an attempt to create more mages. Their methods are not always successful, and can be quite dangerous (although the Gambit mages do their best to ensure that no lasting harm can befall their target), but the number of successes they do get indicate that their idea is a sound one
Blank Badge	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	Dedicated idealists and revolutionaries against the whole of the Awakened establishment (including the Free Council), the Blank Badges are direct heirs to the Nameless traditions of the pre-Council era. They’re magical anarchists and rebels, striking the Seers for preference but also any traitor who tries to stay their hand or parlay with the Throne.
Daoine	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	The Daoine are Acanthus who attempt to emulate Fae justice. They punish those who have violated their obscure codes and reward those who have acted virtuously. These mages are masters of the hex and curse, using their powers to perform their duties against violators of their own codes or the scruples of whoever hires them.
House of Ariadne	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	The House of Ariadne is a Legacy devoted to urbanity. They are attracted to everything about city life, good and bad, for it is from the city that they gain the power to see into past and future. They walk the paths of the ley lines and the lesser lines they call Ariadne's threads crisscrossing the city, and use the symbols they see along the way to interpret the future.
Pygmalian	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	The Pygmalian Society believes that art – true Art, that is – is a link to the Supernal, given its quality to provoke and inspire people, and it is a link that even Sleepers can use. The Society thus seeks to inspire artistic emotions in the Sleepers it interacts with, in the hopes of Awakening them from Sleep via a great induced moment of creative epiphany.
Singer in Silence	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	These mages have an almost instinctive understanding of death and its hold on those around them. Theirs is the power to summon and create ghosts, and to read the strands of fate and death to see those who are marked and fated to die soon. This knowledge cannot be suppressed or easily ignored, and as a result of their connection to death the Singers are warped in mind, body and soul.
Sister of the Blessed	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	This Legacy is an up-until-recently exclusive to high-class women group whose networking and attainments are focused on helping members avoid the social prejudice levied against them. They are skilled in subtle Fate and Mind magics to assist their endeavours and keep themselves from accruing too much unwanted attention stemming from their power.
Skald	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	The Skalds are the heirs to a truly ancient practice known across the world; that of the singing storyteller and songwriter. They are superlative musicians and writers, and use these skills to move audiences of Sleeper and mage to joy, sorrow, anger, or any other emotion the bard cares to conjure.
Storm Keeper	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	The Storm Keepers have guarded humanity against the forces of nature unchecked for many centuries. They have an almost intuitive ability to comprehend the weather systems of the world. Their powers give them control over storms and any collateral effects of storms, as well as the ability to predict the effects their abilities will have once employed, the better to be fully warned of the consequences of their meteorological meddling.
Tamer of Winds	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	This Elemental Legacy specialises in the element of Air. The Tamers of Winds seek and dispense truth and good judgement, serving as judges and counsellors to Sleepers and the Awakened. They can read truths on the wind and delve into the minds of others.
Walker in Mist	Acanthus	Order	No	Book and Page	The Walkers in Mists are an order of mages who draw their wisdom and power from the natural world around them, rather than the tomes and scrolls so beloved of their fellow Awakened. They’re masters of manipulating the continuum of nature they call the Mists to gaze upon and travel to places far removed from their own selves in the blink of an eye.
Carnival Melancholy	Acanthus	Order	Yes	Book and Page	Awakened charlatans and conmen, the mages of the Carnival Melancholy harvest the souls of the Sleepers they dupe and use them to bolster their own chances of success. Their philosophy stems from the Depression and sees the Awakened as a nation of fugitives, doing what they can to survive and attain the Imperium Mysteriorum on the backs of the Sleepers.
Name	Path	Order	No	Book and Page	Description
Name	Path	Order	No	Book and Page	Description

Consilii of Australia

• Adelaide
• Armidale
• Brisbane
• Canberra
• Melbourne
• Perth
• Sydney