FACTION MENU

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 ORPHANS

(DISPARATE)

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Awakening is older than tradition. Long before occult societies appeared to guide and protect their mages, people with talent simply shaped their own Paths. Some gathered together for mutual benefit, whereas others made shit up as they went along. In Ascension War terms, such people are considered Orphans: poor little mages with no home to speak of. “Orphan” is a derogatory term used by Tradition mages to describe people who use magick without their enlightened guidance. In Trad jargon, that term is typically capitalized. Folks who actually are orphans, however, often dislike that term… and for good reason. The idea that someone’s an orphan unless they’re part of your specific family implies a paternalistic sense of ownership that drives many orphans straight up a goddamned tree. And so, these so-called “orphans” rarely use that term among themselves unless they’re being sarcastic with some Tradition jackass. (As far as the Technocracy’s concerned, all mystic mages are Reality Deviants, to be converted when possible and destroyed when necessary.) Technically speaking, an orphan can be someone’s who’s self-Awakened, defecting from an official group, or belonging to a smaller sect that’s not part of the more notable factions. The Disparate Alliance cheerfully adds such mages to their ranks when and if an orphan wants some company. These mages make up a fairly large percentage of the Disparate membership… such as it is, anyway. Although orphan is not a sect per se, there are plenty of orphans within the Disparate Alliance, neither claiming nor claimed by a particular sect.  For mages who prefer to make their own destiny, or who want nothing to do with the Ascension War, an orphan Path provides an independent option. Plenty of mages who’ve never even heard of this Ascension War qualify as orphans by default… and plenty of people who do know of it prefer to remain independent. An orphan makes her own decisions, determines her own practices, believes what she chooses to believe, and avoids the political bullshit that comes with membership in some larger group. That said, the orphan road is a very hard Path, especially for those mages who Awaken – as many do – with a blast of wild talent
When Awakening strikes a teenager, that kid usually hits the streets in a panic. Many orphans call this trauma the Plunge, the Vortex, or Wintershine: a cataclysm that tips the floor sideways and send them headlong into Wonderland. In the wake of that experience, the terrified orphan usually bolts… and then tries to learn how to survive in a world where the previous rules of reality no longer apply. Yeah, sure – there’s power. But newborn mages don’t know how to use that power unless they find someone to teach them. Without a mystic society or Technocratic indoctrination, those folks tend to wind up puzzling things out for themselves by joining small sects, cults, or gangs. Some end up perishing in spectacular Paradox backlashes, attacks by rival mage groups, or the many other perils of a world in darkness.

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Organization:

Typically, an orphan either practices by himself or belongs to a small group. Again, there’s no common thread between such groups. One might be a rock band, another a church choir, a third could be a witch family, and a fourth might read Tarot cards in a graveyard each Saturday night. As usual, elders tend to dominate the group; in this case, though, the word “elder” is defined more by mystic accomplishment or personal charisma than by age or an appointed title. Leaders within an orphan sect can be brilliant, brutal, seductive, or persuasive. One could dominate his tribe through sex, drugs, and occult babble, and another might have a knack for scamming free meals at the homeless shelter. With few exceptions, the group’s rules depend upon a leader’s whims and his ability to enforce them within that group.

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Initiation:

In the old days, most societies had initiatory rites that ushered people into adulthood, a trade, or a mystic pursuit. Guided by elders, the initiates would learn the things they needed to know in order to function in that new capacity. Magickal and spiritual initiations were part of most pre-industrial societies, and some of those groups became (or joined) the Traditions and Crafts we know today. Certain regions still have such groups today, but they’re hard to find in the industrialized world. More often, an orphan mage winds up meeting other folks like himself… usually among street cultures, neotribalists, transhumanists, fantasy fans, New Agers, occult groups, and so on. Thus, initiation can be an exceedingly mixed affair, based more upon the people in charge of the group than upon any shared formalities. Typically, the orphan has to prove herself trustworthy, swear some level of allegiance to the group and its leaders, and demonstrate her skills in service to that group. Consequently, an orphan might wind up in a fringe Christian enclave, a Satanic coven, a Burning Man art collective, a pack of vagabond street kids, a New Age ashram, or any other group that holds a place for people who believe in magic.

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Affinity Spheres: Any. 

Focus:

Orphans accept almost any worldview that provides a place for magickal powers. Some orphans become technomancers too, focusing their Arts through technological tools and beliefs. Religious creeds, transhumanist philosophy, occult dabbling, and ethnic practices provide the most common focuses for orphan magick, and popular culture that integrates several of them (often known as “gutter magick” or “high eclecticism”) is especially prevalent in the technological world.

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Stereotypes

(Assuming that the orphan has even heard of these groups… which is unlikely.)

The Traditions: A bunch of self-righteous wizards who not only believe they hung the moon but also insist that you have to hang there with it.

The Technocracy: Fuck that bunch of oppressive evil bastards!

The Disparate Alliance: I’m kinda reserving judgment on the groups I know of, but they seem to have a better handle on things than those other folks do.

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ROTES

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Do Remember allocation of successes and success limitations still applies to rotes

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ALL TOMMORROW'S PARTIES

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉   Arete  ◉◉◉ 

MIND ◉◉◉  TIME ◉◉

By asking the right questions of the right people, the Mage can find out about upcoming events, scanning nearby minds to determine if there’s something being planned and using Time, looking ahead slightly. This gives hunches and inclinations that guide the Mage to an event even if they cannot get people to directly tell them about it.

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉◉  (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

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POP GOES THE WEASEL

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉   Arete  ◉◉◉ 

LIFE ◉◉◉   FORCES ◉◉  PRIME ◉◉

The Mage immobilizes the victim. The target suffers extreme pain as their body is heated up. At the end of the effect, all the damage is applied as aggravated damage.

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉◉  (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

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GOOD EATIN' /CLEANSE THE CLOWN

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉   Arete  ◉◉ 

LIFE ◉◉   MATTER ◉◉ 

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

Life kills any parasites that might be in food, Matter purifies it and improves the taste. A very useful effect for Mages living on the street.

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PURGE

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉/◉    Arete  ◉◉/◉ 

LIFE ◉◉/◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉/◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

This rote allows a Mage to clean a target out of drugs or illnesses. Life 2 is enough for themselves, Life 3 for another target.

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FUCK OFF

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉    Arete  ◉◉

MIND ◉◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

allows the Mage to give someone a look that causes them to want to get away, unless they succeed on a composure + resolve roll Difficulty 12+ successes.

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FUCK OFF AND DIE

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉ Arete  ◉◉◉ 

MIND ◉◉◉ LIFE ◉◉◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉◉ ◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

 The stronger version of FUCK OFF ROTE additionally does aggravated damage in the form of heart failure and brain haemorrhage if the victim fails their Willpower roll. The victim takes 1 aggravated damage per mage success in excess of victims composure + resolve roll.
 

PASS THE KEY

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉ Arete  ◉◉ 

ENTROPY  ◉◉ + MATTER ◉◉ for mechanical locks or FORCES ◉◉ for electronic locks

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

This rote acts as a mystical lockpick. It unlocks a target door. Forces is necessary to handle electronic locks. Note: This does not bypass magically (Awakened or Static) locked doors.

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THE GUTTER VIEW

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉ Arete  ◉ 

ANY SPHERE AT LEVEL  ◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

At the bottom, people live by their wits and their senses. Every sphere grants useful perception effects that help with survival, such as:

CORRESPONDENCE:      Sensing the geography of general area

ENTROPY:                      Spot weak points

FORCES:                        See in the dark and improved hearing

LIFE:                               Sense living things

MATTER:                         Spot weak points and hidden structures 

MIND:                            Read emotions , read auras

SPIRIT:                             Read auras , see ghosts and spirits

TIME:                              Perfect internal clock.
 

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PASSING

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉ ◉  Arete  ◉◉◉  

LIFE ◉◉◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

Sometimes, certain people are not safe. Whether you’re the wrong race, sex or otherwise, this rote allows the Mage to change their features to match whatever it is they need to be to be safe. (Gender and Ethnicity NOT species)

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PASSING SHADOW PROJECT

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉   Arete  ◉◉  

FORCES ◉◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

This effect pushes away light, drawing shadows around the Mage and hiding them from sight. Each success adds +1 to the mages stealth.

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SAFE LITTLE WORLD 

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉◉   Arete  ◉◉◉◉  

CORESPONDENCE ◉◉◉◉ LIFE ◉◉◉ / SPIRIT ◉◉◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉◉ ◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

The effect protects the Mage’s things, so that no one can tamper with them. It prevents anyone or anything from entering without the Mage’s knowledge. Using spirit 3 instead of Life 3 can prevent spirits entering the area.

 

SPIRIT GUARD

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉   Arete  ◉◉◉  

SPIRIT  ◉◉◉ MIND ◉◉

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

With this rote the orphan can post a spirit to guard an area. (see Bestiary) The area effected depends on the amount of successes allocated to it and the duration of course also requires allocation of successes.

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INTRUDER ALARM

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉   Arete  ◉◉◉  

MIND ◉◉◉ CORRESPONDENCE  ◉◉ LIFE ◉ 

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

This effect will let the Mage know if anyone enters an area without preventing them from doing so.

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BACK DOOR PAROLE

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉   Arete  ◉◉◉  

LIFE ◉◉◉ PRIME  ◉ MIND ◉◉  

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉/ ◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

The simpler version lets the Mage enter a trance and stop their bodily functions without damaging them. With Mind, the Mage can stay aware of their surroundings. In this case, the Mage is capable of walking around and acting while appearing to be dead, fooling almost anyone other than a Mage sensing the living Quintessence in them. Notably, this is effective at tricking Vampires.

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THICK SKIN

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉/◉   Arete  ◉◉/◉  

LIFE ◉◉/◉   

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉/ ◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

The basic version protects the Mage from extreme environments, while the stronger version hardens the
Mage and allows them one extra health versus all damage types.

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RATSTORM

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉   Arete  ◉◉  

CORRESPONDANCE ◉◉ LIFE ◉◉ MIND ◉◉     

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)
With this rote, this Mage can call a swarm of small animals to attack a target, with whichever sorts of animals are common in the area, such as rats in a city and dogs in a desert.

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DELIRIUM

Prerequisites:  Occult ◉◉◉   Arete  ◉◉◉  

MIND ◉◉◉  FORCES ◉◉     

SUCCESSES REQUIRED ◉◉◉/◉◉ (however you may need other successes to allocate where appropriate)

The Mage gets themselves into a hallucinatory state, whether through meditation, drugs or other methods, and then sends the hallucinations to a target.

Successes determine number of targets as per the following table.
With a light-show and music, Forces can be added to gain a success, making it easier to affect groups.
SUCCESES    PEOPLE AFFECTED 
1-3               One or two
4-6               Up to ten
7-10             Everyone nearby
11-15           Small club
16+              Large club

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