Character Creation

Hey guys!
Let's get think about characters/the cabal/story goals!
I made a quick map of the fictional New Jersey borough of Maple Hill. It's done in Adobe Illustrator so I can add/change details as we mold this world. If you guys have any questions for me, let me know!

Diving into the pile of old stuff looking for Mage book!

Helpful books would be:
Mage: the Awakening (2nd Edition)
Chronicles of Darkness or The God Machine Update (optional)
Hurt Locker (optional)

If someone is missing the M:tAw 2e book, we can probably fudge our way through. I don't mind explaining some stuff (as it helps me retain the information), but it would definitely be helpful as we progress through this stuff.

Indeed, may take me a bit, trying to think of a concept. I will leaf through my mage stuff too. Only have the 2nd edition book.

The Mage 2e is really all that you'll need.

I'll be working on some of the setting stuff while you guys consider characters. I have some ideas for the other Cabals in Maple Hill, but all of my concepts are in their infancy. I'll post thoughts and characters as I come up with them :)

I've only got the first edition from 2005. I'll pick up a pdf of the 2e. I think I do have God Machine, though.

Alright, so I'm thinking of a disgraced wall Street finance guy originally from Maple Hill. Path of Acanthus, he played a little too loose with his magic to influence his trading. He has come back to Maple Hill after being busted for insider trading.

My character idea is for a great looking, athletic guy, who contrary to expectations and open doors, turns to a life of low level crime.

He has a strong moral code, but despises law and authority. This is a result of poor family life, an alcoholic mother, absentee father, and an outlaw biker for a younger brother.

His criminal activities were really to keep an eye and protect lil bro. However, at sunset, on a glowing beach, their differences came to a head in a hail of gunfire.

Awakened by grief and guilt.

Now, lil bro is dead, and I am searching for redemption and purpose.

Edit: mechanically, thinking Obrimos / Mysterium

The setting is the same, but the mechanics are very different. I still flip through my first edition supplements for support. The Mage 2e book is (and all of the 2e books so far are) worth picking up.
I like it. So do you think he went away before the Consilium set up shop? Is he coming back to a hometown that is drastically different than the way he left it?
This concept definitely works with the concept of the story. A character who hates authority and wants to redeem himself will be a valuable asset in an uprising.

He left soon after the consilium arrived. He hated being looked down on and tried to start fresh in New York, but with his fairly high profile failure he's had to return to regroup

Perfect. I am 100% behind that idea. We'll have to tinker with some ideas that will keep that failure haunting him throughout the story.

I'm thinking of a more morally good character. Just trying to decide on a background. Only played mage once or twice. I am definitely thinking of playing a social character or an intelligence based character. Likely with less offensive type magic, such as Time/Luck. Haven't had time to look through the book quite yet.

A Social-leaning character is perfect. I don't know how PBP will change my style, but usually my games are loaded with social drama as opposed to physical action. Your mages will likely see a few scraps, but I use mechanics that usually keep those fights short, bloody, and to the point. And with Magic on your side you might find yourself more physically impressive than your stats may suggest.

Definitely open to suggestions

Hmmm.. is this the right book?: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2743/Mage-The-Awakening?term=mage+the+awakening&manufacturers_id=1&test_epoch=0&it=1

That's 1st edition.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/181754/Mage-the-Awakening-2nd-Edition

That's the one you're looking for :)

Ah, then I did have the wrong one. Ok, going to grab that one. I'll think of a character background tonight and write it up, then I'll make stats. I can't remember how people realize they are mages or can bend reality... guess I have some reading to do. :)

Awwww. Crap. I have 1st Ed. Is there a huge difference?

There is a wonderful write up on Awakening in the second chapter. In a nutshell, a person (most likely a curious person who was always questioning and exploring things) Begins to hallucinate or dream. In the dream-state the character goes through an ordeal and eventually heads down a path and climbs a tower and inscribes their name upon it. When the come to, the world has changed. They can see through Lie (capital L) and bend and shape reality to their will.
Narratively, not really. Mechanically... yes. At character creation the changes are minimal.. Attributes are 5/4/3 with a extra dot in one of the resistance stats (Resolve, Stamina, Composure). Skills are 11/7/4 with 3 specialties. You get 10 merit dots to spend. You get 6 dots in Arcana (Determined by Path and there are minor stipulations on what you spend them on), and most of the advantages are determined the same way except Defense which is now the lower of Dex or Wits + Athletics.

There's more, but I'm running out of time to list it all out. But in the meantime you guys can grab a character sheet here

If need be, you can make a 1e character and I can help port it over to 2e

It's ok. I can pick up 2e.

Thinking of kind of just being a nobody. A failed art student that is a waitress at a diner or a bartender or something. I'll write something up tonight I think. Sorry, been busy with another game I was writing a character for. Just have this one and one other one (These guys know which one ;) ).

Are we picking orders? Or are we like independent? Is that even a thing?

Your character can be a Nameless mage (a mage without an Order) or an apostate (a mage who rejected membership from the Orders), if that's what you want. But the Orders are definitely available to you.

I submitted Corson Calder. The character is still rough, only attributes and skills added, and I'll work on the rest this weekend, as well as highlights from his backstory.

Working on Daric. Still working on backstory, but the basics are the same. Wall Street guy. Acanthus, and I'm thinking a member of Silver Ladder.

Sorry for the delay, I'm less familiar with New WoD than I thought I was. Trying to get up to speed.

Hey, no problem. I expected this to be on the slow end. And honestly, that's the appeal. I've been slammed with work so haven't had time to get to all of the gaming stuff I was hoping to. I have a lot of stuff rattling around my head, but none of it seems to be coming out in any sort of cohesive form.

If there is anything I can do on my end to help you guys with characters, please let me know. I'm not entirely sure how to manage character creation in this format. Normally I'd be walking around a table poking my head in and giving thoughts and opinions and encouraging conversation. But I haven't exactly figured out how to do that here.

Haha, yeah, no what you mean. Our activity is indistinguishable from no activity.

I've updated a bunch of the character sheet today. Still need to flesh out some details and backstory.

Did you want us to talk about how we met, or is that part of your plans?

I just submitted Daric. Most of the dots are in place. Still playing with merits and have only scratched the surface on magic... I may need a little help on that front. Not sure I've wrapped my head around all that.

On the backstory front, here's the idea I've been kicking around. None of this is set in stone and I'd be happy to modify things to help party cohesion or whatever.

[[Insert Original Name]] grew up in a working class Maple Hill family. His family wasn't exactly wealthy so even as a kid he was always working on some get rich scheme or angle to make a quick buck. He saw his father work hard every day just to scratch by and was determined to never be that guy.

He was in high school when Jimmy Guthrie went missing. He graduated and went on to study Finance at Princeton and was quick to emulate the burgeoning Yuppie culture and distanced himself even further from his Maple Hill roots. It was at college that he Awakened and was courted by the Silver Ladder. He would regularly return home as his mentors wanted regular reports about what was happening down there. He witnessed first hand the discrimination against Maple Hill mages and distanced himself further.

At that point, he took a position with a Wall Street firm and made a quick name for himself. To the Sleepers he worked with, He appeared to just have a knack for finding high-risk options that always paid out handsomely. It's like he couldn't lose. Members of his Order began to chastise him for abusing his powers for personal gain. It all came crashing down around him. About a year ago, he lost a ton of money for his clients in the Savings & Loan crash. He was one of the first casualties of that crisis. The loss was not as bad as the realization that he didn't see it coming, he should have been able to see it coming. He had always been able to before. Something had interfered this time.

All of that proved a bit too much to handle and he has returned to Maple Hill to lick his wounds and regroup before making his next move.

Sorry for being MIA. I had a lot of stuff that sprung up on me this week that stole me away from anything resembling fun. Everything should be slowing down now, so I should be more available.
I think we should absolutely chat about how this cabal met and how they function. What are their overall goals? How do they operate? Do they share a Sanctum? Are the tight like a family, or are they more like coworkers just getting the job done?
I really like this idea. I keep seeing a rather rumpled looking business man with a loose tie around his neck casting spells at his kitchen table. There is something about Wall Street that also screams "the 80s," so the concept fits the setting really well too.

And don't be too worried about the magic system. It looks kind of complicated, but once you grasp the basic mechanic it makes sense. We'll approach that whole thing with kid-gloves until we're comfortable slinging spells around like maniacs.

I've actually been seeing like Christian Bale in American Psycho. Slicked back hair...Overly groomed.

Christian Bale from American Psycho is just as good... and also terrifying. The psychotic charm that character has is pretty incredible.

Not quite as much sociopath of course :)

Not quite as much of a sociopath yet.

I know everyone is still working on characters. But I thought I might drum up some interest/excitement by posting my first game post :)

Woot woot

We should quickly discuss our own Sanctum and how we met - banded together. I'll start:

Corson Calder is a former criminal (drug dealer mostly) who, after his awakening, has pursued other interests. He would reach out to others in the community out of curiosity and a burning desire for experiential knowledge.

A great Sanctum would be a cabin-on-the-woods type affair, but maybe it's not a log cabin but a double-wide mobile home with a raccoon problem. And the lake is a bit weedy to enjoy. Still, potential fixer-upper, even though we are learning that maybe it shouldn't be too nice, otherwise it'll get snatched by magical deush-bags.

Or should we jump into the GMs cleverly set snare, and make the Sanctum great and envy worthy? Diamonds and chicky-babe hangers on, like some decked out clubhouse out of Sons of Anarchy?

I'm definitely partial to the finer things. Unless you've got those shoe covers plumbers use for my Bass Weejun loafers, I'm not stepping into your filthy trailer :)

Okay, Sanctum option 2. A Colonial style, one-time bed and breakfast. Set within a grove of weeping elm trees, the dark green and brown trimmed structure has eight guest bedrooms, a dining room with a large table that seats 18, and a staff bunk in the basement.

The plan had been to rent out several of the rooms to cover expenses until the structure is paid off.

How quaint. I hear that everyone is summering in bed and breakfasts off the beaten path just like this...I'm good with that one.

What about our connection? My guy'soriginally from the area, but is only recently returning after being away for a while. Maybe childhood friends?

Not sure how the whole Shadow name thing works. I was thinking that my character would have adopted another name when he left, but people would know him in Maple Hill.

Yeah I like this idea too. Sorry I've been tied up with work recently and haven't been able to get a character out worth a damn. I'll get a story up tonight (I mean it) and that way we can roll out. And character stats as well of course. My character used to be a waitress, maybe still is. So the bed and breakfast would feel right at home.

Qralloq & Wellisa, feel free to edit any of this, just getting the ball rolling.

Alright, I'm thinking Calder and I were acquaintances growing up and he was my connection to score acceptable cocaine on the rare occasions I returned to Maple Hill. Eventually, we discovered that we were both Awakened and we kept each other informed about what was going on in our respective towns. With my connections and resources at the time, I was able to help get some startup capital for the Sanctum. It was a nice way to launder some of my less ethical profits.

Maybe Wellisa's character is connected to Calder either through his past or maybe she was hired as staff at the B&B?

I'm happy with that connection, WarDomo. Maybe Wellisa's character, as you say, checked us out by getting hired, then one day, ta da?

Alternatively, Calder was a total jock, captain of the swim team type, until high school, when he dropped all those extracurriculars and focused on his drug career to protect his (now late) loser/biker brother, Winston. Connection in there, somewhere?

Yeah I agree with the latter connection I could have just became a new mage after being hired. Sorry didn't get my character done. It's been wild in a bad way.. going to try and wrap it all up in a bow during lunch tomorrow

I'm going out of town for Memorial Day weekend from Thursday to Monday. Unsure of how much free time and internet I'll have.

Ok, it took me x20 longer then I thought but its been crazy. This long weekend allowed me to submit my character. It may not be perfect as its been almost a decade since I've played.

Maggie was the example of a lost generation. She always aspired to be a culinary student. But she was born in an impoverished neighborhood. Her parents, while they tried their best, could not get themselves out of their situation financially and thus could never send Maggie to any official college.

When Maggie got older she would try to attend college, but ultimately she could not get past the cost of it. Not wanting to be so deep in debt and thus follow in her families footsteps, she decided to take up being a waitress to pay for school. It was slow, but steady at least.

One Maggie she had awoken and suddenly her aspirations, while still there slightly, had gone to the way side. Things in the physical world were less important. She was found out by her group and decided to live with them in a bed and breakfast. Since she was still in her formative college years, she was confused on what purpose she had in this world or the spiritual one. She hopes she can find it with these two others that are like her, like a mage.

All right, we have Maggie, Daric, and Corson. Anything else we need to do before we get this party started?

I am going to take a quick glance at the sheets. I'll just be counting dots and such. But narratively, everything is good to go :)

Sorry guys, I got slammed with revisions on a project that took up most of my weekend. I approved all of the characters. The only error that I noticed in my quick glance was on Qralloq's sheet. It looks like there is an extra dot either in Mental or Physical attributes. Everything else looks solid guys :)

Ooh, I see that... fixed.

I'm not really sure what to do. Are you waiting on us?

EDIT: I just noticed that SpookySpecter has gone idle. Oh well

Im going to drop this one.

Same here