Awareness: Mage Sight in Ascension Nova 2E

Using Mage Sight in Ascension Nova

A new and exciting feature in Mage: The Awakening is Mage Sight. In Mage The Awakening 2E, the ability to examine the Tapestry and unravel its mysteries is no longer a set of spells as it was in Mage 1st Edition, but now an inherent ability that reflects the early lore of the Awakening line. This is a great feature, and we want to implement it, but with an Ascension twist.

In Mage The Ascension, Mages have struggled to influence Sleeper belief for millennia, and this how the Tapestry is woven. Lore speaks of Awakened Eyes being open to the Tapestry. Regardless of Paradigm or worldview, all Mages, including Technocrats, know that the only objective fact of reality is that it is driven by only two things - belief and will (we at Ascension Nova take the view that Technocrats know full well that reality is subjective - otherwise, they would not be able to wage their successful reality war against Mystics. Our view is that the Technocratic Union feels that their reality model is the best and "most sane", which is up to vigorous debate.)

Thus, all Awakened have Awareness - the ability to see and understand the Tapestry. Awareness is essential for working Magick, since the Mage needs to be able through their Paradigm and it's symbols to use their magickal tools to manipulate perceived reality. No one, including Mages, can perceive the Tapestry directly. But as a Mage progresses, they come to understand that various symbols and stories explain universal phenomena. This lead to the Nine Sphere model pioneered by the Order of Hermes during the Ascension War (now 10 Sphere, if you in your game parallel the Spheres of Ascension with the Arcana of Awakening.) This is how the Nine Traditions are, despite differences in belief, can share their Magick knowledge. This is in contrast to the Technocratic Union, which shares one large Paradigm and magick style set across the five Conventions.

Any Mage can deduce, as a level 2 Mystery, the following when entering an area:


 * What the theme of this reality zone is, and what would constitute Vulgar Magick.
 * What manifestations of reality are generally normal for the Zone

For more info on reality zones, check out Mage The Ascension: 20th Anniversary Edition, page 611

Generally, the rules for Mysteries from Awakening 2E still apply. But what is the in-universe reason why Ascension Mages would chase mysteries, in the same way that Awakening Mages would?

Mythic Threads - Mysteries in Ascension Nova 2E
In Mage: The Ascension, Mythic Threads are threads of belief and will which match the shared ideals of a particular world view, and which still have power. Despite all of its purges, murders and hard work, the Technocratic Union has not been able to purge from the collective memory of mankind's belief and faith in the other worlds which existed before the Technocratic victory in the modern Ascension War. On the moors and on a moonlit night, one might still see ghosts, or fantastic technologies may work at Area 51, or in a martial arts studio, fists can crack stone. Mysticks of all stripes struggle to preserve these secrets which they can work into their own magicks. Further, enemy Mages might want to destroy these very threads - a Technocrat may want to destroy the beliefs in herbal medicine having magickal properties to heal as quackery and a conscientious Celestial Chorus may want to crush the horrid belief that God is actually evil and that a demon world is easily accessible. This is the literal battleground of the Ascension War.

Mythic Threads can be people, places, and things, just like Mysteries are in Mage: The Awakening 2E. They have a rating and are resolved like Mysteries are in the Awakening setting. Depending on the Paradigm of the Mage, this will involve mundane investigation, ritual work, experimentation and so on. Examples include a Verbena working to commune with a ghost who haunts a grove, a Child of Knowledge conducting experiments on rare ore to advance towards their Philosopher Stone, or a social analyst of the New World Order chasing down interviews and people to confirm a hypothesis about how the human mind works. Upon solving these mysteries, Ascension Nova Mages earn Arcane Beats as usual, which can be used for magickal advancement. Further, Mages will most likely want to strengthen this Mystery, so that it has a stronger foohfold in reality. This is how Mages realize their ideal worlds.

Inspirations - Obsessions in Mage 2E
In Mage: The Ascension, Mages seek not only to convince Sleepers that their reality sets are real but to improve and deepen their understanding of their particular Paradigms. Ascension Nova Mages assign Obsessions as usual, but where as Awakening Mages seek out Supernal lore and earn Arcane Beats when they fulfill their Obsessions, Ascension Mages earn Arcane Beats when they fulfill their Inspirations and discover or create new aspects of reality which match their vision, in a durable manner. For example, An Ether Society member may earn an Inspiration beat when they use their understanding of Etherite science to create a new machine that uses the principles of how they understand Ether science. An Order of Hermes Mage may have as an inspiration, "engage in congress with a fire elemental." Its absoltuely OK to use Magick to attain these ends - expanding and developing one's magick skills is entirely what Inspiration is all about!

Inspirations can also be acts which affirm the Mage's Paradigm and lead to deeper contemplation and understanding of the Mage's Paradigm. Mages are sculptors of worlds which they offer to Sleepers, and a Mage who has spent decades resolving the internal contradictions of their world view and magick style will have ultimately more powerful magick.

Ascension Mages can have as an Inspiration "Deepen my Arete" - instead of exploring the manifest and technical aspects of their magick, they instead explore the philosophical, ethical, and mystical underpinnings of their world view. Only Arcane Beats earned from an Inspiration or mystery related to Arete/Gnosis can be used to increase it.

We will be exploring how Seekings work in Ascension Nova 2E, and be directly relating it to the Inspiration/Obsession system and the new Avatar rules.