Dedications

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Dedications are a type of magical limitation to the mage's behavior. These limitations resonate with one of the Watchtowers. The sacrifice of aligning one's behavior toward that Watchtower instead of the Fallen World causes a sort of occult "friction" in the soul of the mage. Over the span of a week, this accrues power, eventually manifesting as a point of Mana.

In order to take a Dedication from a Watchtower other than one's own, a mage must have at least one dot in one of the Arcana of that Watchtower.

Benefits

The benefits of assuming a Dedication are as follows:

  • The mage gains 1 Mana per week. This is added to downtime totals, so that mages at the beginning of an Episode start with Mana equal to the result of 1 die roll, plus 1 for every week that has passed between Episodes.
  • As long as the mage maintains the Dedication, he is considered to be using a Path Tool for one of the Arcana of the Watchtower in question. This only comes into effect once the mage has harvested a point of Mana from the practice, and ends when it is broken. The Arcanum must be chosen when the mage chooses the Dedication.
  • When a Dedication causes difficulty for the mage in a story, it is treated as a Flaw. That is, at the end of the session, he gains an additional XP for the trouble of maintaining it.

Drawbacks

  • When a mage breaks a Dedication, he loses one Mana and the resonance shatters.
  • Breaking a Dedication is also a Wisdom 9 Act of Hubris (though, of course, not many mages have to worry about that).

Dedications

Dedications of the Lunargent Thorn

Arcana: Fate, Time. The Dedications of the Lunargent Thorn involve actions that make one more of an agent of the Wyrd or Destiny, or of more fey-like behavior.

  • Sybil's Vow: The mage chooses to live according to the Sybil's Vow, offering prophecy and divination to those around her, whether they like what she has to say or not. Such mages usually earn the reputation as doom-crows, but also as people to whom others (particularly Sleepers) begin to go for advice. This vow is broken if a day passes by without the mage finding someone (preferably someone new) and providing them prophecy.
  • The Fool's Vow: Like the Fool card of the Tarot, the mage is a wanderer. At its core, this is a vow to keep neither home nor Sanctum. Some may remain on the road, their lives one big road trip movie, while others may embrace the life of a hobo or homeless person. This vow is broken if a mage lays claim to any location for himself, or sleeps in the same place twice in the same week.
  • Lord of Misrule's Vow: Chaos follows in Lord of Misrule's wake, and he takes the opportunity to bring low the lofty with trickery. The Lord of Misrule must take the opportunity to make a fool of anyone who is too arrogant, or who wields too much power, for the good of everyone around them. This vow is broken if the mage encounters someone arrogant or powerful and does not immediately begin working to humiliate or expose their flaws.
  • Comus' Vow: The Carnivale King's life is one of excess. They are not just the life of the party, they are the source of it. Every evening is an example of indulgence and vice-chasing, with promiscuity, drinking, substance abuse, dancing and gambling as the order of the day. This vow is broken if the mage ever ends a day without having partied in some way, even if it's just nursing a bottle of bourbon before bed.

Dedications of the Iron Gauntlet

Arcana: Mind, Space. The Dedications of the Iron Gauntlet involve actions that make the mage more dominating (in either a subtle or overt way), or of more demonic-like behavior.

  • Solomon's Vow: King Solomon was known for his wisdom, and his refusal to give in to his lesser urges, and so the mage with this vow must strive as well. By refusing to give in to his Vice, the mage builds this vow's resonance. This vow is common among Goetic sorcerers. This vow is broken if the mage ever gains Willpower for fulfilling his Vice.
  • Sinner's Vow: Reveling in what it means to sin, the mage not only indulges his own Vice frequently, but chooses another Vice to pursue as an avocation as well. The mage breaks his vow if he chooses not to act in a way that would gain him Willpower if he actually had that Vice.
  • Salome's Vow: Also called the Tempter's Vow, the mage who takes this Dedication has chosen to act as an instrument of excess and sin in the world. She leads others to indulge their vices, always pushing and luring those around her into activities they know are bad for them, but are also compelling. She is the seductress, the pusher and the instigator. The mage breaks this vow if a day passes in which she does not lead someone down the road of excess and sin.
  • Tyrant's Vow: X

Dedications of the Lead Coin

Arcana: Death, Matter. The Dedications of the Lead Coin involve actions that make the mage more an agent of loss and decay, or of more ghost-like behavior.

Dedications of the Golden Key

Arcana: Forces, Prime. The Dedications of the Golden Key involve actions that make the mage more glorious and sublime, or of more angelic behavior.

Dedications of the Stone Book

Arcana: Life, Spirit. The Dedications of the Stone Book involve actions that make the mage more primal, or of animistic behavior.