Appendix: Weight of Centuries

　"How am I? Senile of course," the shriveled antique said. "A few days ago I had a long conversation with my eldest grandson, and I was wondering how he'd suddenly grown so intelligent when I realized he's been dead for twenty years and I was talking to the parrot."

— Barry Hughart, Eight Skilled Gentlemen

　Think back to where you were five years ago. Think about how the world was different then, and how much has changed since. Maybe you missed some of the significant shifts, and only found out about them later. Now try 10 years. A whole other decade. A lot of people had completely different value systems at the time, right? Sure. Odds are, there have been some really significant changes in your lifetime already (the collapse of the Soviet Union springs to mind).

　Now imagine living through three centuries of such changes.

　Countries rise and fall. Cultural mores change like a chameleon on acid. Once-virgin wilderness hosts strip malls and burger joints. Maybe the log cabin you were born in is long-buried under the parking lot of a pager-manufacturing company. Sure, you've been living through it all, but seriously, every once in a while you've just got to look back and wonder: What the hell happened?

　The scary thing is, mages can't afford to sit on the front porch and complain about how they miss the "good old days." They're in a war to change reality for (they hope) the better, and that means they've got to keep adapting, keep evolving. Learn how to use those new weapons, fast. Mutate or stagnate, kids.

　And after a few centuries of this strain, it's possible that something's going to give.

免责声明

　在我们开始讲方法和理由前，要先说句警告：请小心使用该附录。世上没有太多仍在世的古老法师，而他们中鲜有像塞内克斯或波尔托斯那样地位稳固的。也就是说，你有充分理由不让你的玩家胡搞力场6——无论他们多抱怨。对这些滥强法师来说，游戏平衡性就和黑暗世界的现实一样容易被扭曲，而你那（有海量幻劫）的玩家也有理由在这么做时变得很不理智。你也有官方许可，向其表示“不，无论你花了多少经验点，都没法在凡人一生的时间里达到力场6”。那些掌握如此神般力量的一小撮则花了等同几个凡人一生的时间来习得他们。我们也准许你有完全的回旋余地，来拒绝让那些无法达到后面概述的扮演要求的玩家玩大法师。许多滥强玩家只会诡异地危险行动，然后以“时间摧残”为借口来给其辩护。别让这种玩家靠近大法师玩家角色。

　选择权在你。已经警告过了。

The Press of Time

　"So, how many people have been around since the First Cabal, and can I play one of them?"

　Ouch. What a question.

　But it's an interesting one.

　There are, of course, a few very old mages still running around the World of Darkness. Like the ancient vampires who dominate the cities, these mysticks have clung to existence for far longer than nature intended them to. And let's face it, they're interesting.

　One of the main points of Mage is that the form magick takes has a lot to do with the culture that its wielders spring from. The Virtual Adepts are the obvious example, but there are countless others. It would logically follow that an elder mage would look at magick quite differently than the young hotshots of the modern age. Then again, maybe not. Maybe his perceptions changed with the years (although this is very rare). The possibilities seem even more endless (if possible) in a game involving the ancient ones.

　And yet, there aren't that many ancient mages. If it were easy to grab immortality, everybody would be doing it, right? Obviously, something's in the way.

　This Appendix is intended to take a close look at the eldest mages - giving advice for roleplaying them and explaining systems that represent the difficulties inherent in eternal life. It's primarily an aid for the Storyteller, one who should give a little more insight into the minds of the truly old. If the Storyteller allows, it's also possible to use this as a guideline for a chronicle in which the player characters themselves are centuries old. The key word here is "guidelines." Firm decisions are best left to the Storyteller, who has a better feel for the power level he wants floating around his game.

　First and foremost, we don't recommend that you allow ancient player characters just to up the power level of a game. It's fine to enjoy a "bigger guns" chronicle, but roleplaying the "ancient, powerful and deadly ones" of Mage is a lot more challenging than taking your average character and adding a lot of dots to the character sheet. Playing a centuries-old character entails thinking about what they would have been like growing up, how they reacted to the cultures they interacted with over time and how they've dealt with (or will deal with) the amount of change that goes on even in a lifetime.






Thinking Like an Immortal

　Playing a person who has seen centuries pass is actually a little trickier than one might think. Some motifs are easy enough to explore - the loved ones who died of old age, the insanity of the modern age compared to the "good old days" - but making an immortal truly vivid requires deeper probes into his psyche.

　How would someone born during the French Revolution look at the world today? More importantly, how would an enlightened human being, with those centuries of experience, view her surroundings? The key to the greatest magicks involves abandoning your limitations, but what limitations present themselves with the passing of years?


Motivation

　First and foremost, why live so long? Nobody really wants to get old, true, but there are a lot of dangers involved in immortality. For one, Paradox hates an immortal just as much as it hates a perpetual motion machine. You're also going to outlive your loved ones (assuming, of course, that you have any). If anyone's going to notice the distinct lack of your passing, the Technocracy will. And the stress on your mind might, just might, push you into Marauderhood within a century or so. Think for a minute about your character. What would make her risk everything if she believes her Avatar will survive anyway? Besides, so few mages live to be old, rotes or not....

　Any character must have a motive for her actions. We've offered a few possible ones for immortality below. Although by no means comprehensive, they provide some seed ideas with more intensity than "I never want to get wrinkled." The motive should typically be something very central to who the character is, a desire so strong it compels them to set aside their human life and risk losing everything to Paradox.

　(The horrible Underworld of Wraith: The Oblivion could provide all kinds of motivation for wanting to live forever. Of course, wraiths get themselves into that situation by hanging on to mortality past their time, but the mages don't know that…)

　● Fear: It's not a very enlightened outlook, but some mages are terrified of losing control of their bodies, much less their minds. After all, there's no guarantee that your next life isn't going to be more horribly worse off than the one you already have.

　● Bloody-Mindedness: Maybe you're not even close to accomplishing what you want to do, and you have very long-range plans indeed. If you want something done right, you'd better make sure you're around to do it yourself...

　● Lust for Life: How can anyone peacefully move on without experiencing everything the world has to offer? There's a lot to see and do, and you might miss something between now and your next Awakening (assuming you have a next Awakening...).

　● Hatred: Maybe you've vowed to spit on an enemy's grave. Unless he's a vampire, one good way to do that is to simply outlive him. (Not that most mages would be satisfied with waiting until a foe kicks off, but eternal youth gives you more time to work.)

　● Gift: Immortality may not be your own idea. An outside power may have given you eternal life out of friendship... or spite...

　● Love: Nobody ever said love was fair. You may have fallen deeply in love, only to find that your paramour is immortal (Another mage? A vampire? Something else entirely?). And you'll be damned if you'll let something like death separate you...

　● Quest for Perfection: Many believe that true harmony can only come from many incarnations, but others (including most Akashic Brothers) seek to attain perfection in their lifetimes. If you are given the time, you can perfect body and soul without having to start anew in your next life.

　● The End Times: Since ancient Egypt, people have always believed that the world was about to end. As civilization after civilization crashes, burns and gutters out, the idea becomes a lot easier to swallow. If you die of old age, there might not be a world left to come back to - and what if you could have prevented Armageddon?

　● What Reincarnation?: This whole reincarnation thing could be a lie, you know. If one shot is all you get, you might as well hang on as long as you can. Oblivion might not be all it's cracked up to be, after all.

　● Powerlust: Another emotion that owes little to enlightenment, the craving for power can overwhelm all other considerations. Look at what the Nephandi have traded for theirs. Thankfully, few power-mad mages survive long enough to become immortal, unless they're very, very good.

　● Ascension: It's so close you can smell it. Perhaps if you hang on for just a few decades more, the ultimate enlightenment will finally be yours.


Fleeting Passion

　It is unfortunately true that most centuries-old mages simply don't maintain romantic relationships. The reasons are numerous. For one, the passing of years can often make a person bitter and cynical, as even mortals know. Mages are a little arrogant to start with, and as your knowledge increases, it becomes easier to prejudge someone within the first few minutes of meeting them. ("Oh, he reminds me of that Prussian captain; l imagine he's just as stuck on himself." "Poor child, she's so naive. She might be interesting when she really knows what's going on, but I haven't the time....") Of course, some mages grow more tolerant with the years, learning to accept people more readily. Enlightenment can counteract the reflex-action of cynicism, but it's not the only concern.

　There's also the "spark" to consider. Even Cultists of Ecstasy get jaded, and passing years help build up an immunity to the hormones. Yes, a little Life or Mind magick can increase the hormonal rush until it feels like first love again... but that's hardly spontaneous. Think of the sexual pull like spicy food; the older a person gets, the spicier she likes her food, because food just doesn't taste the same anymore. The taste buds die. This, too, can be overcome; however, most older mages don't see it as a priority.

　Finally, there's the problem of compatibility. Normals are pretty much off limits for any real length of time, for the obvious reasons. Other mages? Well, mages are a stubborn, somewhat egocentric lot. They have to be. The only lasting relationships between mages happen when the couple happen to have very compatible outlooks on life, love and the Ascension War, which is rare. Werewolves and changelings (if the mage knows about them) have mortal lifespans and even more diverse outlooks. Vampires and wraiths are effectively immortal, but are also very alien. (Woe to the hapless mage whose opinions of vampires have been shaped by Anne Rice....)

　All told, it may seem that we're telling you that romantic subplots are impossible for ancient mages - quite the contrary. Like any human relationships, there are simply stumbling blocks to overcome, and mages of great age have it a bit harder than everyone else. Just remember that to stir an ancient's heart, it would have to be somebody really special... epic, almost.



Accomplishments

　Immortality's a laugh. You show me a mage powerful enough to live 300 years and I'll show you a schmuck powerful enough to achieve any sane person's goals in your average loser's lifetime.

— Tommy Dragonjaws, Akashic Brother

　Apathy kills. It's even worse when you have scores of rivals and enemies slavering at your throat. After all, if you suddenly decide there's really no point to getting up in the morning, someone's sure to be charitable enough to make sure you never have to again. So it's a given that there are still things that any mage worth the title wants to get done.

　But another thing to consider is the possibility that an ancient has already achieved several goals over the years, or failed at tasks she'll never get another chance to try again. What were they? And how did these successes or failures shape her?

　This is a chance to explore what it meant to be involved in the Ascension War through different time periods (see the Prelude of Mage Second Edition for an excellent example of such transitions). Almanacs, history texts and especially timelines can all be helpful here. Although it would probably be taking it a bit too far to say, "Janet's assistance won the Civil War" or "If only Lord Henry hadn't failed to kill Hitler in 1936," there's no reason the elder's deeds can't have had something to do with historical events.

The How-To of Eternal Life

　So how do you get to be immortal, anyway? Well, plenty of rotes exist for just such a purpose, all of which have been sought out by mortal and mage alike. Technomancers often clone themselves, then shift their consciousness from body to body to avoid the aging process. There are also rumors of mythic places, as-yet-undiscovered Fountains of Youth where one receives the finely tuned Tass that makes the years fall away. It's generally held, though, that all proper methods involve some Time magick, plenty of Life, a helping of Prime (to keep pouring energy into what might be a continually running Effect) and a fair amount of Entropy. Most mages prefer to do one dangerous ritual every decade or so and age normally until the next one's due. These rituals are best performed in the safety of a Horizon Realm - having Paradox interfere with this process is something nobody - but nobody - wants.


Paradox

　Very old mages accumulate Paradox just by being alive. Long life is plausible for just so long before the universe starts catching on. Generally speaking, a mage on Earth accumulates one permanent Paradox point for every 50 years he lives past the first 150. Such problems rarely bother archmages in Horizon Realms, which is precisely why ancient mages spend their time there - this increase only applies on Earth. Setting one's foot back on home turf would likely prove messily fatal. No, Porthos doesn't leave Doissetep all that often.


Senility

　Presumably, whatever process the mage is using to keep herself immortal prevents the brain from deteriorating. (Roark McHenry of the Verbena missed this very detail when he devised his infamous Years of the Oak rote. Some time later, he went Marauder for about two weeks before being gunned down.) Senility, as we know it, isn't a concern for the properly prepared mage. However, centuries of experience is quite a bit to store in your memory, particularly if you haven't mastered Mind magick yet.

　Generally speaking, unless a mystick takes certain drastic steps (such as surgically removing all "unnecessary" memories or accessing a greater percentage of her brain), she becomes more and more susceptible to Quiet. Obviously, this becomes harder to resist as her Paradox Pool grows. This magickal insanity is the most common backlash an elder mage receives.


Resonance

　When a willworker becomes truly powerful, his actions begin to have powerful results on his surroundings, whether he wills it or not. Archmages indirectly influence their environments in hundreds of small ways. It becomes no longer a question of what the ancient directly effects, but how far the ripples from his deeds can reach. He becomes the proverbial butterfly whose wings stir up hurricanes continents away - only much more so. (See Mage Second Edition, Chapters Four and Nine, and The Book of Chantries, p. 139.)

Rotes of Immortality

　Caveat magus: These are by no means the only tested rotes that can slow or reverse aging. Nor are they necessarily perfect. After all, any system sustained for too long is likely to deteriorate. However, these rotes have been grudgingly shared by allies for centuries and have proven more effective than most. They are somewhat ubiquitous - the foci and rituals may change from faction to faction, but the systems remain the same. Feel free to introduce these rotes with whatever name or methodology seems appropriate.


Shed the Years (Prime 5, Entropy 4, Life 3, Mind 2, Time 2)

　This is a "maintenance" rote preferred by mystics who can't bother with constantly active magics on their physical person. Some Verbena brew potions of youth; Sons of Ether boast of their Phoenix Engines. Whatever the outward trappings, this rote reverts the mage’s body to the state it was in nine years ago, effectively giving her almost another decade of life. Mystics who use this rote tend to perform it in a Horizon Realm, since the Paradox backlash could be intense indeed.

　[This Effect requires five successes, and the difficulty is appropriately frightening. The pretense of high ritual usually aids the process, as does the presence of Tass. The mage temporarily halts entropy while using Life magic to rejuvenate her body. The Time Sphere helps the mage recall what she was like (not what she thinks she was like) nine years back, and the Mind Sphere helps her mentally adjust to the resetting of her brain without losing the memories of the last nine years. Finally, the adept must be a Master of Prime to fuel such an incredible regression to a younger, stronger state. Once the rote is completed, the willworker ages normally.]


Serenity of the Stone (Prime 5, Time 5, Entropy 4, Life 3, Mind 3)

　This rote, a favorite of the Akashic Brotherhood, slows the aging process so drastically that the mage doesn't seem to age at all. Once performed, the mystic need not recast the rote time and again.

　This rote can seem coincidental if the mystic secludes himself from regular contact with Sleepers. His Mastery of Prime creates a mostly self-sustaining Pattern that slows time and entropy. Life and Mind magic keep his faculties, both physical and mental, in proper working order.

　The downside is that the mage is still a "thaumivore" of sorts, and must periodically refresh the Prime Pattern maintaining the Effect.

　[Since this rote is more effective than most, the mage need only consume a point of Quintessence every week or so. If Quintessence isn't available, the mystic takes a Health Level of lethal damage per day, and begins aging more rapidly. In some cases, Paradox strikes willworkers at this delicate stage, rapidly withering them beyond their actual age. The cause is unknown, although the Chorus theorizes that the irregular ebb and flow of energy is an affront to Divinity.

　This rote cannot stop aging, merely slow it to a crawl. The mage typically ages one year for every 50 she lives.]

Ancient Character Creation

　lf the troupe is willing, Storytellers may opt to run a chronicle in which the players are allowed to play venerable mages. This style of gaming can easily get out of hand, but can also lead to fascinating roleplaying. Obviously, the tone of the game will become more epic than your average Mage game (which is saying something in many cases). The following guidelines help you create an elder from scratch:


Oracles

　In case it needs to be said, we very strongly advise against Oracle player characters. These most legendary archmages are only rumored to exist; many modern wizards consider the Oracles a myth, nothing more. Even the archmagi have their doubts. If they do exist, these ultra-mages don't concern themselves with mortal affairs - no Oracle ended World War Il, saved the White Howler werewolves or wished away the Technocrats, so we can assume they leave humanity to struggle on as it will.

　The average roleplayer will have a hard enough time playing an archmage well; how many gamers can accurately roleplay a millennia-old being with godlike power and near-divine enlightenment? It's better, we believe, to roleplay someone still comprehensible to human thought then to assign the whims of mortals to the gods (or vice versa).


Character Points

　The elder character's Attributes should start with 10/7/5 rather than 7/5/3. After all, mastery of the Spheres is linked with perfection of mind and body. Similarly, the character receives the standard amount of dots in Abilities (13/9/5), but gains 60 "freebie points" to increase her statistics. The ancient also receives 12 dots in Spheres (above and beyond her starting dot for her Tradition) and 15 dots in Backgrounds. Storytellers may adjust these numbers in either direction if desired, but be warned that giving great power to even well-meaning players can be hazardous to game balance.

　Arete starts at the usual level; it may be bought fairly high with "freebie points." Quintessence equals twice the character's Avatar rating; Paradox begins at 3 (assuming a 100-year-old mage), +1 for every 50 years past 100 the character has been alive.

New Merits &Flaws

　Below are some new Merits and Flaws tailored for ancient characters. They are not for use with normal mages. Note that these can exceed seven points - the span of your existence tends to break the boundaries of normal people. However, be wary - Merits and Flaws of this magnitude can be exceptionally costly in ways not immediately obvious.


Grand Reputation (5 pt Merit)

　Word of your deeds has traveled far before you, and many younger students revere your name. You will be welcome at most allied Chantries and can find assistance throughout your Tradition. Of course, you will also be a highly visible presence in the Ascension War, and will attract plenty of unwanted attention.


Years of Wisdom (5 pt Merit)

　In your travels, you have seen and done almost every-thing a person can imagine. Once per game session, you may add one automatic success to any one non magickal action, whether it be an attack or dodge, research or persuasion. As you set your mind to the task, you suddenly remember doing something like it before ("When I was at Shiloh...") and draw upon your experience to help you.


Powerful Allies (5-8 pt Merit)

　Over the course of the years, you have managed to befriend (or at least establish cordial relations with) a few beings of great power. This may be a sept of Garou, another ancient mage, a vampire prince, Umbrood Preceptor, sidhe duke, elder wraith, mummy or something truly bizarre. Although neither of you would risk life, limb and soul for one another, you're in the habit of lending assistance to one another when required. This Merit can serve as the jumping-off point for many adventures. The Storyteller has final say on what allies you may take, and how much they are worth as a Merit. She also defines the statistics for your ally; although you know the basics, you shouldn't have an omni-scient overview of what your friend is capable of.


Pawns (8-15 pt Merit)

　You can control a group of people without their even realizing it. These pawns will readily do your bidding, although you must take care to keep your guidance a secret (few people enjoy being manipulated). This Merit cannot be used to take control of any player characters. At 8 points, you have a number of non mages or recently Awakened pawns. 10 points allows you control of a small cabal, pack of young Garou, or coterie of neonate vampires. 15 points gives you mastery of a band of experienced (though still your lesser) supernatural beings, or one entity close to your own power.


Student's Reputation (2 pt Merit or 2 pt Flaw)

　One of your students has made something of a name for herself, and her deeds reflect back on you. Perhaps she is a vibrant young talent who brings a fresh perspective to her Tradition. Alternately, she may be a bad seed who went barabbi or Marauder some time ago. Whatever the case, her activities bring you great respect or embarrassment, and her exploits are often the talk of your peers.


Chronic Pain (2 pt Flaw)

　Despite your great power, an old wound or perhaps even your age still ails you. You must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 6) every scene or be at a +1 difficulty to all rolls from the painful distraction.


Wistful (2 pt Flaw)

　However uncomfortable and hectic your youthful days were, you still miss them. You have a tendency to drift off into daydreams of the "glory days," sometimes acting foolishly or becoming depressed. A Willpower roll will usually put aside your nostalgia - for a while....


Senile (5 pt Flaw)

　You're not just absent-minded, your brain is downright deteriorated. You must make a Wits roll or spend a Willpower point to remember just about anything except your name or to attempt any Knowledge roll. You are also susceptible to daydreaming, and may spend days at a time reacting to the world as you remember it 50 years ago. Mages with this Flaw often prove to be a threat to themselves and others around them.


Rivalry (3-5pt Flaw)

　Some mighty being on your own side hates you and seeks to thwart your ambitions. This may be a simple professional rivalry (like those within the halls of Doissetep) or a deep, abiding loathing spawned centuries ago (over lost love, slain friends or worse). Although your rival will not openly attack you, she will do everything in her (considerable) power to make sure you never reach your personal goals - unless they would suit her purposes better than yours…


lmmortal Enemy (5-8 pt Flaw)

　You have made a supernatural enemy that has been fighting you for years. This may be a vampire, rival mage, Umbrood Lord or something else entirely. Over the decades of your rivalry, this enemy has learned several of your secrets and foibles, and is quite willing to use them against you. The enemy is very well-entrenched in modern society; you have time to thwart his plans and make a few strikes of your own, but going over to visit and kicking his ass is currently very much out of the question.

Storytelling for Ancients

　Let's face it; centuries-old mysticks are just about as close to demigods as you can get without running an all-Incarna chronicle. These are the sort of people that can do just about anything they set their minds to; the effect gets far worse if your players are clever.

　So how do you challenge characters of this caliber? You could threaten them with vampire Methuselahs or Garou elders, but that would be missing the whole point of the game. Yes, bigger guns mean more armored targets; still, combat should hardly be the focus of a campaign of this magnitude.

　Chronicles for uberpowerful characters should often revolve around intrigue. Even the lowliest acolyte, if crafty enough, can begin a rumor campaign vicious enough to discredit the sagest elder. If your enemy will not reveal her hand, it becomes increasingly difficult to do something about her. Far worse is the situation where you know precisely who your enemy is, but are forbidden to do anything about her (she might be seneschal to your Chantry, or the lover of a good friend). Storytellers should be quick to discourage magickal attempts to solve these situations; using guile is often far more satisfying for the players.

　Another approach involves exploring the Umbra. Out here, mysticks can skirt the ever-present gadfly of Paradox. And yet, here also dwell the most powerful beings in Mage cosmology. Those mysticks with strong Spirit ratings will find the Sphere a double-edged sword: They wield great power over the denizens of the spirit world, yet those same spirits recognize and resent their power. (Dreamspeakers thus tread carefully and politely among the spirits, in order to avoid accumulating powerful enemies within minutes.) Characters might vie to be elevated into an Umbral court, gaining rivals and possible allies more in league with their powers. Although a human mage could never rise to become the equal of the mighty Umbrood, imagine playing musketeer to an Incarna! This could also lead to very dangerous adventures against the Nephandi, as the elders decide the only way to demolish a given cult for good is to imprison or destroy its patron... (For more ideas on Umbral denizens and demons, see The Book of Madness and The Book of Worlds.)

　Those wanting to do something truly different might even craft a chronicle in which one player runs an ancient mystick and the rest remain at the standard Mage power level. Obviously, this chronicle is even more difficult to run. You could easily fall into certain pitfalls. Either the younglings run around on Earth while their elder ally stays in a Horizon Realm to avoid Paradox, or the wise one travels with them and handles every potential threat single-handedly. Neither option seems to be much fun.

　One way to circumvent this is if the revered elder suffers under a geas or three (the Flaw: Magical Prohibition or Imperative, from The Book of Shadows). lf the old one cannot perform tasks for his younger charges without losing his powers, then he becomes a little more balancing to have along. Such games would be comparable to certain martial-arts flicks; the wizened master travels with the group, but is bound by honor to let them fight their own battles. He is there only to neutralize the advantage held by the archvillain (who usually gets offed by one of the upstart heroes, anyway).

　The Umbra could also work as a backdrop for this sort of chronicle. The ancient could be the tour guide and patron for the rest of the cabal, but no rule says the spirits are going to favor the eldest among them. Perhaps the Marquess of Verdant Flame is enchanted by the young Euthanatos' eyes...

　Have Fun.