Professional Documents
Culture Documents
M20 The Rich Bastards Guide To Magick
M20 The Rich Bastards Guide To Magick
Special Thanks
My husband Greg Roy, who first put Mage: The Ascension
in my hands 20 years ago.
© 2022 Paradox Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission
of Paradox Entertainment AB. Reproduction prohibitions do not apply to the character sheets contained in this book when reproduced
for personal use.
White Wolf, Vampire and Chronicles of Darkness are registered trademarks of Paradox Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. Vampire the
Requiem, Werewolf the Forsaken, Mage the Awakening, and Storytelling System are trademarks of Paradox Entertainment AB. All rights
reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by Paradox Entertainment AB.
The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.
This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes
only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
Check out the Onyx Path at http://www.theonyxpath.com
Table of Contents 3
Chapter Two: Sacred Ground 59
Creating Rich Characters 35 Social Media 59
Your Money and Your Life 36
Chapter Four:
Climbing the Ladder 36
Membership Has Its Privileges 61
Developing Your Backstory 37 A Magickal Sandbox 62
Archetypes of the Wealthy 39 Greenhill Clinic 62
New Archetypes 40 Spa Practitioner 64
New Merits and Flaws 44 The Constellation Club 64
Chapter Three: The Elite 66
Monetary Magick 47 The Connoisseurs of the Levant 67
Privilege Upon Privilege 48 Finders, Seekers 67
Rotes 48 The Oakenash Foundation 69
Correspondence 48 Wealthy Conservationist 70
Entropy 49 F474 M0R64N4 70
Forces 50 F474 M0R64N4 Members 71
Life 51 Cheops Supplements 72
Matter 52 Cheops Wellbeing and their victims 73
Mind 52 The Escapists 74
Prime 54 Privileged Survivalists 75
Spirit 55 The Sensational Adventurers Club 76
Time 55 Adrenaline Junkies 77
Paradigms 56 The Arcologists 77
Everything The Arcologists 79
Has Value 56
More is More 56 Chapter Five:
Philanthropy in All Things 57 The Best Money Can Buy 81
It’s Good at the Top... 81
Power Trickles Down 57
...But It Also Gets Lonely 82
Practices 57
You Can’t Take It with You 82
Appropriation 57
All the Comforts of Home 82
Charity 57
Crafting With Cash 83
Investment 58
Treasures and Wonders 85
Media Control 58
Doissetep’s Treasures 85
Instruments 58
Works of Art 87
Artifacts
and Antiques 58 Designer Drugs 89
Contracts 59 Wonders 90
Cryptocurrency 59 We Have People for That 92
Employees 59 Places to Go, People to See 94
Governments 59 The Sky’s The Limit 94
Markets 59 The WinnipesaukeLake Chantry 96
Physical Media 59 Bespoke Reality Zones 97
Precious Metals 59 Casino of Bliss and Destruction 98
Holy Mission of Zion Church 98
Table of Contents 5
VI The Rich Bastard’s Guide to Magick
According
To Plan
Carter Colfax owns a private island out in the middle is — she’d insisted on paying for it herself, which in hindsight
of the umbra. That’s not such a big deal on its own — there had been the wrong time to refuse Michael’s largesse.
are plenty of quiet skerries out here for the brave to build Michael’s the only one of the three who actually belongs at
Wonders upon. It’s which island he’s claimed, and what a party like this. His family runs a huge company, the kind that
he’s done with it, that makes Cassie second guess the whole has branches upon branches of subsidiaries under it — so big
plan. Eerie structures surround Carter’s mansion, built by that anything people buy, or read, or wear, or watch is probably
the spirits he’s bribed or bought off. And what a hefty price somewhere under that umbrella. Michael grew up rich, and it
that must have been. shows. He moves along the drive smiling and waving, stopping
Anyone who’s anyone is here tonight, arriving in their now and then to shake hands and offer a pithy comment before
etherships or other flashy transportation. Impossible vessels smoothly disengaging and moving the three of them along.
line the docks and the drive, alongside Bugattis and limousines No one asks him to introduce Cassie and Jack. If she
that couldn’t have just driven here, but clearly did. didn’t know better, she’d think Jack was throwing off some
Anyone who’s anyone. There’s the problem: Cassie and kind of Mind Effect to hide them, but they’re not doing a
Jack are big, giant nobodies. She feels how much she doesn’t damned thing just yet. That’s the plan: no magick until they’re
belong here. It’s in the way the other guests carry them- inside. Don’t draw attention. They have one shot at this.
selves, a walk trumpeting a moneyed upbringing at finishing At last, they get to the door, where a bouncer is checking
schools. It’s how shabby the dress that cost her a month’s names against a list. Here’s the first potential failure point:
wages looks beside couture whose price tags equal the gross Cassie and Jack aren’t on it. Michael’s got it in hand. He
domestic product of some countries. She tries not to stand flashes his invitation and a thousand dollar grin, and says,
too close to anyone else gliding up the long walkway, lest they “They’re with me.”
notice her and point her out to everyone. Every time some
This is the sort of party where the invitations might read
perfumed, bejeweled partygoer brushes past her, she braces
plus one, but if you bring more than that, all you have to do
for it, expecting their entire scheme to be up before they’ve
is say “They’re with me,” and the bouncers don’t dare argue.
even gotten through the door.
Because the next phrase, if they balk, is “Do you know who
“You’re fidgeting,” says Jack. They look perfectly com- I am?” and it only gets worse from there.
posed, in a suit perfectly tailored to their tall, slim frame.
The bouncer looks at them. He shrugs and unhooks the
When they first modeled it for her, Cassie had stop herself
velvet rope. “Have a nice night,” he says, as they sail on past.
from running a finger along the smooth fabric. It had been
made for Jack, and only Jack, whipped together by a tailor •••
who dressed the stars. While it was a simple gray wool with Inside, it’s a Who’s Who of Tradition elites. Cassie
black pinstripes, it was quite clear that no other suit like it wonders if this is what it was like at Doissetep, well before she
existed in the whole world. One of a kind. Unique. That was Awakened. Jack always described it as full of old Hermetics in
how the rich liked it: I have something no one else can ever own. dusty robes with ink stains on their sleeves, but Jack’s rarely
Jack hadn’t paid for the suit, of course. This whole night impressed by anyone, and half of what they say about the
has been on Michael’s dime. Except for Cassie’s dress, that Order is aimed at needling Michael.
Money Makes No one ever said you have to sleep on a lumpy mattress while
you’re setting things right.
the World Go Round
So does magick. The Root of All Evil
Why not put them both together and reap the benefits? Let’s get this out there: Money is problematic, and all
This book explores what it’s like to be a mage of means, around the world, the rich are getting richer. CEO pay sky-
whether you’re a wealthy Tradition mage, a mover and shaker rockets while the minimum wage remains stagnant, and hasn’t
in the Disparate Alliance, or a member of the Technocratic been an actual living wage for years. If billionaires paid their
Union watching — and manipulating — the world’s markets. fair share in taxes (or paid them at all, ahem), the United
Whether you’re hanging out in corporate boardrooms or States could easily wipe out student debt and medical debt and
simply living a life of leisure and luxury, you have just about provide homes for the unhoused and meals for schoolchildren,
everything you could ever want. For the rest? You have a gold and the rich would still be able to fire fake spacemen into
card and any number of people who will happily help you orbit in very expensive cars, just because they can.
procure anything you can dream of. This book attempts to acknowledge that imbalance, and
But this is Mage, which at its heart is a game about hope call out greed, corruption, and abuses of power that come
and transformation, and about dreaming bigger. If you had the with living in a capitalist society. At the same time, we’ve
money and Will to change the world, how would you do it, tried to leave space for those If I hit the lottery daydreams.
exactly? Who would you lift up? What corrupt systems would So if you want your characters to use their money to fix
you tear down? What do you build in their places? society’s problems, you can do that. If you’d rather blow it
While you’re at it, of course, you get to have a little fun all on flying cars and voidships, you can do that, too. You
along the way. You’ve got access to Wonders other mages can be Dolly Parton or Bruce Wayne, Prince T’Challa or
could never afford, the ability to jet across the world in an Adrian Veidt.
instant, and the means to be pampered wherever you stay. There’s no lining in the pockets of that last suit. Might
as well spend it while you’ve got it.
Introduction 11
How can he explain that to him? The world is not run from where he thinks. Not from border fortresses, not even from Whitehall. The
world is run from Antwerp, from Florence, from places he has never imagined; from Lisbon, from where the ships with sails of silk drift
west and are burned up in the sun. Not from the castle walls, but from counting houses, not by the call of the bugle, but by the click of the
abacus, not by the grate and click of the mechanism of the gun but by the scrape of the pen on the page of the promissory note that pays
for the gun and the gunsmith and the powder and shot.”
— Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall
It was lovely, up in the cloud. Dana stood on the edge of the The urge to pitch him over the side was awfully strong.
observation deck, peering over the side and down at the valley Instead, she took the glass from him and took a sip. She managed
below. Beside her, Sean sipped at a scotch so peaty she thought its not to grimace as the scotch went down. Her mouth tasted like she’d
scent might knock her overboard. licked a chimney. “Royal blue,” she said, handing the glass back.
“How much of this is yours?” she asked. “Done. Give me a week and I’ll send you a bouquet.”
He shrugged. “Most of it. All of it. I’m not really sure. The “What if you brought me down there now and gave me a tour?
land’s been in my family forever.” I want to watch one bloom.”
“Was it always so green?” He looked wary.
“No. That’s all new.” He beamed at that, and pointed to an acre She didn’t blame him — plenty of people had heard about his
of brilliant purple flowers a mile or so off. “That’s my latest. Tulips.” endeavors. The tabloids were always publishing stories about spies
“They’re out of season!” and thieves getting escorted out of his company’s office buildings
“Not here, they aren’t. I can grow them anytime. Any color. or arrested breaking into his labs. She imagined there were plenty
What’s your favorite? Name it and I’ll name a variety after you.” of others who slipped onto the grounds unnoticed and absconded
with an armload of flowers, but she’d already had a look at some
He’d brought her up here to impress her, she knew. So far, it of those pilfered plants — a theft she’d paid a lot of money to have
was working, but on a purely scientific level. She wanted to know carried out. The flowers told her nothing once they were picked.
how he was growing it all. He was a Verbena, which accounted for
plenty, but Dana wanted the secret. What a waste.
Not to steal it, precisely, but... To experiment. She had fields She smiled again, gently. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to push. It’s
laying fallow back home that could feed thousands of people, and just so exciting. You’re doing really amazing work.”
here Sean was, growing flowers to impress girls. “Eh. It’s a hobby.”
Mad Money
The Marauders are, by their very nature, difficult scrap paper would have disastrous effects on a local economy
to pigeonhole. Each Marauder is an enigma unto as well as raise several puzzling questions. Making a fleet of
themselves with no shared leader, holy book, supertankers with 50 million barrels of crude oil disappear can
or ideology. No two Mad are alike, and while a destroy a corporation and send the entire energy market into
cabal may share a specific focus, most operate a tailspin. Should a Marauder ever decide on a whim to ring
on their own. They’re dangerous mages. Some the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange, financial
have fully embraced their dementia; others markets could turn sideways. Literally.
aren’t aware of their split from Reality. While
some camouflage their true nature, others are Organized vs. Disorganized
about as subtle as a brick to the face. When they When the Awakened abuse magick, eventually it can cause
have a small fortune to play with, they become even more unruly. a permanent state of Quiet. All Marauders have this disconnec-
Marauders gain money in one of three ways: They can create tion. Perceptual Marauders are aware of their deviation from
it, they can earn it, or they can steal it. Creating money is as sim- society and obfuscate their madness to better move through
ple as using Matter to manifest something valuable such as gold, the world. By contrast, actualized Marauders exteriorize their
diamonds, or stacks of hundred dollar bills. For an Awakened, psychotic manifestations, with no internal filter or self-aware-
earning a living is equally simple. A plastic surgeon boosts their ness. Both believe they’re sane, but the former is aware their
business with Life, while another Marauder uses Entropy or Time divergent behavior may arouse suspicion. The latter either isn’t
to manipulate and predict the stock market or the lottery. A dis- aware or doesn’t care.
tributor or a smuggler may use Correspondence to transport large Some mages borrow the dichotomy system developed by the
quantities of cargo across long distances. Still another uses Mind founders of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in the 1970s to
to control the a millionaire’s psyche, forcing them to sign over describe the Mad. The rubric classifies serial criminals into two
their inheritance. Forces can turn a vault door into tissue paper. categories: organized and disorganized. Perceptual Marauders
Once the Marauder has their hands on the money, they go tend toward organization, while actualized Marauders fall under
to work. Instead of purchasing a new house or car, they might the disorganized bracket.
acquire a decommissioned nuclear submarine, a 22-foot gold Organized criminals usually come from a good home, have
statue of the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland, or the actual college degrees, a steady job, and may even maintain a family.
Taj Mahal. They could purchase a private island in the middle Sober in their conduct, they tend to be older and can interact
of the Indian Ocean, proclaim it a sovereign nation, and declare inconspicuously with society. When committing a crime, they
themselves emperor-for-life. While a Sleeper might use $100 million plan meticulously. Whether it’s targets, the location of the crime,
to purchase a Manhattan apartment complex, a Marauder could or the disposal of bodies, organized criminals cover their tracks.
tear the whole thing down and build a giant ziggurat instead. Because they can avoid detection, they often elude capture.
Marauders can also specifically target financial institutions Meanwhile disorganized criminals are the opposite. Less ed-
for disruption. Turning the money inside a bank vault into ucated, they come from broken homes wrought with abuse. They
I’ve been painting for days. Maybe I’ve slept; I don’t really for the world, made a little more solid. I won’t name the piece.
know. My head’s full of images, and all I want to do is get them It doesn’t matter what it’s called, though the gallery will call it
out where people can see them. something like “Blue No. 12” for tax and authentication purposes.
It never comes out quite the way it is in your head, does it? They’ll sell prints of it, and eventually put it in their program
You have the idea fixed solid, but your hands never truly capture and collection books. It’ll make them millions, a portion of which
what’s there in your mind’s eye. I could will it onto the canvas, comes back to me.
I suppose, but that’s cheating. I could will it straight into my I’ll put that money back into canvases and paints, a place
audience’s heads, but that’s just asking for trouble. with better lighting, somewhere in the city. Somewhere with
Still, I can’t help but put a little bit of myself in there, mix windows I can open to let in the air. I want to hear the thoughts
my thoughts into the paint, let the brush redistribute them. Now I’m sending out into the world echo off the buildings, amplified
anyone who looks will see a tiny glimpse of what I see. They’ll in strangers’ voices. A little bit of hope and love, out there in the
carry that with them, out into the world, and when they talk about world. A little bit of rebellion.
the painting, they’ll refine the message, put it in their own words, Wake up, I’m telling them, even if they don’t understand
make it all a little more real. they’re Sleeping. It’s all there, in the curve of that line, in the
A little more Real. interplay between light and dark.
Tonight’s the gallery opening. I have half a dozen interested Wake up.
bidders already, and the paint’s not even dry. My phone pings with I may need a bigger canvas. The side of a building, a mural
another offer. I send it to my agent; the money’s her job, not mine. ten stories tall. The more eyes on the message, the more likely the
Funny, isn’t that? Twenty years ago, I would have been buoyed Sleepers might stir.
for days if someone told me they’d give me a hundred bucks for one How much does it cost, the side of a building? Or the whole
of my works. Now they’re dropping half a million, two million, building if they won’t rent me one façade?
ten — and the offers feel like so much spam. I pick up my phone, call my agent. She can handle the details.
I step back from the canvas, and it’s all there, in splashes I need to buy more paint.
of crimson and ochre, and half a dozen shades of blue. My hope
New Merits and Flaws The item or service must be for sale for this Merit to
work — it cannot force a task or transaction from an unwilling
The upper echelons of society live their lives in an arena
buyer — but at Storyteller discretion it may make it possible
where fame and knowledge are weapons. The following Merits
to acquire the item through illegal means, such as organized
and Flaws help emphasize the perils of this battlefield.
theft. Be warned, hurried efforts (whether they succeed or fail)
to acquire rare and valuable goods in this way risk leaving an
Dilettante (1 or 3 pt. Mental Merit)
evidence trail incriminating you.
You have an expansive skillset. Whether through long
periods of isolated reading, a privileged upbringing with easy Eccentric (1 or 2 pt. Flaw)
access to learning material and recreational learning, or some
You possess an unusual habit or belief which the typical
form of mental conditioning, you have managed to retain an
person finds unsettling. Perhaps you collect your bodily fluids
impressive foundation of knowledge in many skills.
in jars to stop the government harvesting your genetic code,
As a 1 pt. Merit, untrained Skill rolls no longer suffer a or you walk around your home with your feet wrapped in
+1 increase to their difficulty. fresh tissues because you consider socks unsanitary. Perhaps
As a 3 pt. Merit, your ability to retain residual knowledge is you refuse the opinion of scientists or academics because you
superhuman, and you can recall highly specialized and abstract don’t trust the opinions of elitist “experts,” or you refuse to
information from the most tangential of sources. Drawing on travel in red cars because doing makes other vehicles angry at
those past experiences aids you in your present endeavors. you and goads them into driving you off of the road.
44 The Rich Bastard’s Guide to Magick
Your unconventional behavior inflicts a +2 penalty on and uses them to pursue their own agenda, sometimes making
Social rolls to make a positive first impression. As a 1 pt. Flaw significant purchases of their own or restricting your activities.
your eccentricity is a personal hindrance you struggle to sup- The value of the Flaw determines the Partner’s animosity.
press from others, at least in the short term. As a 2pt. Flaw it At 2 pts. (3 pts. for Resources 7 or higher) the Partner has fi-
is a belief or habitual compulsion which impacts your public nancial needs and investments of their own which temporarily
life, making it almost impossible to hide. reduces your Resources Background by the value of the Flaw
once per story arc.
Financial Partner 2-3 or 3-4 pt. Flaw
At 3pts. (4 pts. for Resources 7 or higher) the Partner has
Prerequisite: Requires Resources •••• or higher
a controlling hand over your Resources, with the power to
You aren’t in complete control of your finances. One or scrutinize and limit access to your finances. You’re expected
more individuals monitor your spending and are able to exert to justify significant expenditures. If they’re at odds with your
limits over your Resources. This Flaw can represent many things, Partner’s interests, they can be blocked. Repeated efforts to
such as a business partner, a corporate board member, a fellow bypass or deceive your Financial Partner may result in them
guardian of an ancient treasure, an estranged spouse, or even a attempting a hostile takeover for your Resources, varying from
parent or child with power of attorney. While not completely corporate litigation to assassination attempts.
antagonistic, your Financial Partner shares your Resources
Freeze Frame’s evening gown was the only pop of color at the The man rose from the table. Kreutz gave Freeze Frame a
table. The other three seated were dressed in the typical black and panicked look.
white formal wear expected of older, wealthy men. Soft yellow light He spoke into her mind. They’re on to us!
illuminated the top deck of the yacht they dined on, which brightened
Freeze Frame shot him a half-smile and said aloud, to no one in
the hue of her sky-blue dress.
particular, “If you were given ten billion dollars, how’d you spend it?”
The dress wasn’t hers, or at least it wasn’t her money that paid
Kreutz raised an eyebrow. The older Syndicate operative tapped
for it. Kreutz, the aging Hermetic next to her, bought it. If the cabal
his seated partner’s shoulder.
was going to infiltrate a party with Syndicate operatives attending, he
told her, everyone needed to look the part. While tempted to mention Stuart didn’t get up. “I’d never let it go,” he said. “Why spend
that rich people her age, the entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley, wore the ten billion when you could invest and get a trillion!”
same T-shirts and jeans she did, she let him buy it for her. She’d profiled “Stuart—” the older agent started. Then he spoke again, with an
the Technocrats on the other side of the table; they were the type who’d offended tone. “A free windfall and you’d treat it like business as usual?
fawn over a millennial who followed a pervious generation’s rules. Plus, With some small expenditures, you could buy yourself a politician, get
the pained look on Kreutz’s face as he spent almost a million dollars your name up in lights…”
on some cloth was worth it. Freeze Frame started to say something to keep the argument
So, there they were, a Hermetic and an Adept, trying to keep going, but Kreutz interrupted.
their targets distracted long enough for the rest of the cabal to set up “You give the money. To everyone! As much as you can! It may
wards in the lower decks. Kreutz brought up sports, and it worked for not pay for itself in the long-term, but with the good will that you’d
a while, but the conversation waned. create…”
The two men, one just young enough to be her son and the other As the discussion escalated into a shouting match — an excellent
old enough to be her dad, gave each other a look. distraction — Freeze Frame sipped her wine. It cost two hundred dollars
“Well,” said the older Technocrat, “This was lovely, but I think a glass but tasted no better than what she bought at the grocery store.
it’s time for my associate and I to make one final round and call it
a night. Stuart?”
Rotes
The following Rotes are organized by Sphere. Rotes that My Summer Home
require multiple Spheres are placed into the Sphere with the (••• Correspondence)
greatest influence on its Effect.
Mages often have multiple places they call home. Going
back and forth between these locations is a hassle, and worse,
Correspondence creates clear travel patterns that unfriendly parties can examine.
With effortless access to transport, the world of the wealthy While this rote trades physical travel patterns for ones detected
is already small. With Correspondence, nothing is off limits. by magick, many willworkers consider it a fair trade, even with
the potential Paradox. As the mage further understands the
Point of Sale (•• Correspondence/ • En- universe, this spell becomes the root of what some mages call
tropy) “Awakened Architecture,” where gates are an inherent component
Economies are based on the eternal tug of war between of a building’s design.
supply and demand, or at least that’s how the Syndicate prefers System: The mage places an inscription or similar alter-
it. While the concept of scarcity exists in the ruling paradigm, ation on doorways, stairways, or any other transitional spaces
there’s always someone who needs something, and another in a building they own. When the mage taps on the inscription
person who’s more than happy to sell it to them. For that to when entering the space, Correspondence 3 opens and closes
happen, they must find each other. a gate to the nearest building with the same inscription, no
This handy rote has served mages for years, letting them matter how far it is.
find exactly what they need. It’s so useful, it’s no surprise the This effect only needs one success, as if teleporting within
Technocracy has brought it into the ruling paradigm via map immediate perception. At Correspondence 4, these gates be-
apps packed with useful algorithms. Most mages outside of the come permanent, automatically teleporting the mage when the
Conventions, save for those who can program or build their own inscription is tapped.
phones, stick to more arcane methods. When the NWO can
This effect is vulgar when witnessed by Sleepers, or when
pinpoint your location with perfect accuracy, it’s best to leave
a Sleeper knows the distance the mage traveled is impossible.
the smartphone at home.
System: When the mage expresses a desire to buy or acquire Corporate Oversight (•••• Correspon-
something, Correspondence 2 lets them see the closest place dence/ ••• Life/ • Mind)
where they can get it, and Entropy 1 pinpoints its availability. Just like regular mages, wealthy mages often need to balance
With one success, the mage knows the closest place to obtain their magickal life with their mundane life. This rote allows
what they need and exactly how to get there. Further degrees them to be in multiple places at once, usually on their own
of success reveal more details such as what the seller wants the properties or company buildings. This spell didn’t just rise out
mage to pay or any potential dangers while shopping. Using of convenience: Having wealth and power without following the
this spell at Correspondence 3 or higher allows the mage to see Technocratic paradigm makes the mage an obvious target. With
multiple locations and outcomes. this spell, they can appear “normal” for a few precious moments
This is always a coincidental effect. as they plan their next move.
The Technocracy developed a similar spell to observe multi-
ple places under their influence at once, and as an intimidation
Paradigms
The most enduring paradigms cross all social its value, transporting to other realms is buying their way in,
barriers, even those of class. Still, some unique and summonings are nothing more than a business negotiation.
magickal philosophies emerge among the Exactly what determines an object’s inherent base value is a
wealthy. These four are the most common. mystery among the paradigm’s practitioners. Their answers are
based on the society they were raised in. Some believe that just
Everything as humankind creates its own reality, it creates its own values.
Has Value Others claim a higher force imbues every object with a specific
value at the time of its creation.
Every economic system uses value as a
concept. Everything is worth something to
someone, and that worth can be perceived, understood, and More is More
manipulated. Value is more than just the amount of currency Too much of a good thing is a great thing.
needed to acquire something, though many mainstream econo- Accumulation of resources — especially valuable ones — is
mists use it as their standard metric. It’s an intangible but vitally power. Sure, everyone claims they respect humble lifestyles. They
important concept to life. participate in performative poverty challenges: feed your family
Followers of this paradigm understand that and proceed on $5.00 a week; go a month without buying anything. But when
to its logical conclusion. Everything, from the clothes on a the time’s up, they fill their shopping carts again.
person’s back to the beings that traverse the Deep Umbra, Gathering things and keeping them for as long as possible
has an inherent value. When a practitioner tells a fellow mage makes life worth living. It doesn’t matter what you’re buying;
“everything has a price,” they’re not engaging in cliché. They simply having a higher collective total than someone else is
know that price, and understand its intricacies. Their magick enough. The man who only has more dirt than his enemies still
comes from manipulating it. has all the power he needs to bury them. Typically, practitioners
While this can be used for traditional workings like the collect liquid funds, real estate, grimoires, magical instruments,
alchemical milestone of turning lead into gold, practitioners or whatever the mage feels would make them more powerful if
use it for much, much more. Enhancing their body increases they had it en masse.
Practices
As the rich are capable of things their poorer deals are even fair. Unfortunately, most incarnations of this
brethren are not, so are they able to engage practice are merely disguised as an exchange among equals or
in practices that wouldn’t be feasible in other come with the threat of violence. For some practitioners, violently
social classes. capturing rivals’ assets is the entire point.
Associated Paradigms: Everything Has Value, Might is
Appropriation Right (Mage 20, p. 570), More is More.
No one becomes wealthy spontaneously. Associated Abilities: Brawl, Firearms, Intimidation, Law,
Even lottery winners and trust fund children Politics.
obtained wealth from somewhere, but not ev- Associated Instruments: Contacts, Sacred Ground, Social
eryone came by their riches honestly. Delving into the history of Domination, Precious Metals.
a person’s wealth often reveals to some form of appropriation.
The mage’s great-grandfather leveraged the bank to foreclose on
a neighbor’s farm so he could build a factory. A cherished family Charity
recipe was stolen, commoditized, and processed for maximum At its best, charity is selfless. It uplifts the impoverished,
profit. One person looked at another’s assets, said “this is mine brings comfort to the sick, and alleviates want. At worst, it’s an
now,” and became extraordinarily rich. ego trip. It puts a person’s name first and foremost, convenient
when he needs to knock an evil deed off the front page.
Appropriation looks the same, whether it’s a Sleeper prac-
ticing it, or the Awakened. Council mages, Technocrats, and Sometimes, the act of giving is itself the work. When a
Disparates alike claim Nodes. Mages go to war with one another mage commands her town’s yearly harvest to double its bounty,
for rare magickal items. On a smaller scale, a mage may claim an thus saving the starving residents, her concern for the plight of
ally’s rote for themselves or inflict a curse to steal from a Sleeper. her neighbors powers the spell’s effect. Other times, charity is a
means to an end. When a mage donates an immense sum to a
Some mages try to soften the practice’s blow by offering
local community center, his money enters their bank account,
compensation or restitution for what they take. Some of these
Chapter Three: Monetary Magik 57
and thus he can track the comings and goings of each of the Associated Abilities: Academics, Esoterica, Investigation,
center’s leaders as they spend his money. Law, Leadership, Politics, Research.
While many belief systems demand that charity should Common Instruments: Blessings and Curses, Contracts,
benefit everyone, as a magickal practice it’s always for the Markets, Money and Wealth.
mage’s benefit. The mage who saved her town gets to continue
practicing her art in peace. The patron gets to bring a pillar of Media Control
the community under his power. The privatization of media was one of the wealthy’s great-
Associated Paradigms: Divine Order and Earthly Chaos est boons. Figures like Randolph Hearst and Rupert Murdoch
(Mage 20, p. 560), Philanthropy in All Things, Power Trickles loomed over the media for centuries, changing hearts and minds
Down. with newspaper headlines, television sitcoms, and Internet
Associated Abilities: Art, Cosmology, Crafts, Empathy, lifestyle sites.
Expression, Politics, Technology. Media is one of the fiercest battlegrounds in the Ascension
Associated Instruments: Blessings and Curses, Governments, struggle. While much of it is an inadvertent tool of the
Money and Wealth, Physical Media. Technocracy, just enough alternative media exists for its enemies
to thrive. The clash between programming and counterprogram-
Investment ming is what reinforces and weakens the ruling paradigms of
consensual reality.
Stale money never grows, unimproved property remains a
patch of dirt, and a lazy mage never achieves mastery. Anyone Using convenient media sources greatly expands the range
who’s lived among the Awakened long enough knows there’s and scope of a mage’s abilities. A sigil hides in a newspaper’s
no progress without risk. This makes things more difficult for a daily crossword, revealing an enemy’s location when she solves
wealthy mage. When someone lives in a state that demands little 21-down. A guided meditation on a video-hosting website siphons
to no risk in their daily lives, it’s easy to become complacent. a sliver of each viewer’s lifeforce and implants it in its caster. A
So, many rich mages turn to one of the few things that put their bestselling novel opens new concepts in the minds of millions,
wealth and life on the line: investing. easing the Paradox of a future spell.
Investment as a magickal practice isn’t just plunking down On social media, chain letters pass from account to account
cash. It’s using your will to change or improve a person, place, because sometimes they truly do what they say, so it’s just safer
or thing to eventually reap the benefits. Sure, the magick may to always reblog. What seems like a bogus medical cure (10 Wild
risk some serious Paradox when using Entropy to save someone Cures for Poison Ivy! You won’t believe #3!) is a rote written by a
from certain death, but one day that person will have just the Hermetic seeking its acceptance. Get a million people to click,
information or resources they need to get ahead. Of course, that and it just might catch on.
person may end up fated to die in a brand-new way before the mage Associated Paradigms: Divine Order and Earthly Chaos,
sees a return on their investment, but that’s the nature of risk. Everything is Data, Power Trickles Down
Some note this practice’s similarity to the Syndicate’s concept Associated Abilities: Art, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation,
of Primal Utility. When this practice is applied to Prime, it can Politics, Subterfuge, Technology
be used in a similar way, but those outside of the Conventions Common Instruments: Artwork; Books, Scrolls, and
know that Investment has a far broader range. Periodicals; Eye Contact; Fashion; Mass Media; Physical Media;
Associated Paradigms: Everything Has Value, A Mechanistic Social Media; Writings, Inscriptions, and Runes
Cosmos (Mage 20, p. 568), Philanthropy in All Things.
Instruments
The rich don’t have to settle for the instruments simply by its history.
everyone else uses. They can dream a little bigger. Rich mages use this to their benefit. Some other mage
might strive for a chance to use a rare music box built by a
Artifacts storied Etherite, but a wealthy mage comes home with it after
and Antiques a fierce private auction.
Age provides its own kind of power. A newly Casting spells while wielding these objects transfers their
crafted violin and a genuine first-generation authority into a mage’s vision, which can overcome Paradox.
Stradivarius may sound the same when tuned Sometimes these objects are sacrificed in a working, trading
correctly, but one commands more respect their inherent energy for a burst of power.
Cryptocurrency Some uses are obvious. The printed word can contain gri-
moires and calls to action, and a Blu-Ray can hold a spell that
Society has progressed to the point where someone doesn’t activates when it plays. However, physical media can also serve
even need physical assets to achieve wealth. As a decentralized, as a sympathetic connection, or even a key to unlock a Gate.
anonymous medium of exchange with a permanently set number
of units available, cryptocurrency has made people rich, then
poor, then rich again in timeframes as slim as fifteen minutes.
Precious Metals
Precious metals are one of the oldest ways of displaying
Unlike physical currency, cryptocurrency isn’t as useful a wealth and power. Even now, we admire trinkets made from
tool for sympathetic connection, due to its heavy cryptography. gold, silver, and titanium.
However, blockchains bind multiple computers around the world
Large amounts of precious metals have plenty of magickal
together, making it useful for casting spells over the internet and
uses. They can be alchemically enhanced into powerful alloys to
within the Digital Web.
vehicles for protection. They can be consumed to grant a mage
Employees their inherent beauty. They could even be melted and molded
into a familiar impervious to ordinary weaponry.
Sometimes the best way to get something done right is to
delegate it to someone else. The rich can have a lot of people
under their employ, and thus under their command. Since their
Sacred Ground
Some places are more magickal than others. A moment of
employees are bound to rent, mortgages, groceries, and other
history occurred there, or tass flows freely from it. Maybe it’s
constant financial needs, they’re more likely to look the other
the location of a Portal, or it’s about to become one soon. These
way if it means the money keeps flowing.
places are sacred, lands where even Sleepers feel their power,
Employees can unknowingly acquire materials for rituals, even if they’re not sure why.
set up spells, or even be used as components.
While any mage could access these sacred grounds to power
Governments their magick, wealthy mages have an edge over the others. They
can buy these places for their exclusive use, removing the public’s
When employees aren’t enough, it’s time to step up to the access and building sanctums or Chantries on the property.
next level.
Governments are capable of accomplishing things that Social Media
the private sector can’t. Protecting a city from the menace of a The world is connected, for better and worse. Hollow Ones
creature from the Umbra could be done with a few blessings at communicate on long-abandoned forums. The New World Order
a major intersection, but that’s thinking too small. With access has access to a continuously updating database. Anyone can share
to governments, a wealthy mage can create a more permanent spells in the guise of a heavily artifacted picture.
solution, like commissioning a redesign of the city road system
It’s even better for the rich. They own entire platforms,
that just so happens to form a glyph that exorcises the creature
establishing a thin but wide sympathetic net via its userbase.
for good.
Their servers provide an easy access point into the Digital Web.
Markets Misinformation that “slips” by the fact checkers under the mage’s
employ can form the basis of an insidious spell on numerous
The Syndicate would like to believe that it’s the master of minds. As social media continues to bleed into non-digital life,
the stock market, but the truth is any wealthy mage can use it who knows what kinds of magick it could assist in the future?
We were down in the sanctum of the Constellation Club in Jerusalem, We thought about it for a while. Correspondence tells us you make
looking at the portal. There was something wrong with it, and none of a portal by bringing two points in space together, maybe in a fifth or sixth
us knew what. Some kind of green slime oozed around the edges. Erupu dimension and fixing them there. So, what might walk that interdimensional
said it felt like something to do with spirits, though it wasn’t actually a space? Or could this be something planted by our enemies?
spirit. When we peered into the portal, it glowed the same shade of green, “Could it be some kind of paradox effect?”
We’d all heard of problems using the portals over the past few “Possibly,” Cali conceded, “Though I’ve not experienced anything
weeks. Strange reports. I experienced something myself, when travelling like this before. Have you?”
from Paris to Doha for a business meeting. It felt like it took time. “No,”
I didn’t look at my watch when I stepped in — why would I? So, no “And this is precisely why I asked you all to be here.”
objective evidence, but I got the distinct feeling something was trying to
“You want us to try it out?” Awotwe was quite appalled at the
delay me or hamper my travel. Several others had similar experiences. idea of being a guinea pig.
“Something like that happened to me,” Cali told us. “I ported here “I’ll go,” Erupu was always the first to volunteer. “I can just nip
from Mexico and it was difficult. Firstly, it seemed to take time, though to Paris and come straight back, tell you what I see.”
I couldn’t estimate how much. As I was about to emerge, mist-like
“Wait!” Awotwe shouted. “Mind link. Let’s share.”
strands wrapped around me. What you see here is the remains of those.”
Erupu looked dubious, as if allowing Awotwe into his head was
The only one here who hasn’t experienced a problem is Erupu. worse than getting involved with whatever was happening between the
None of us are sure whether that’s because he’s so damned good with portals. Then he nodded and Awotwe’s eyes rolled back into her head.
spirits or because he’s only ported between Nelson and Melbourne
Erupu stepped into the portal. The green stuff was sucked in
recently. This issue seems to be worse the closer to the center you get.
behind him with an awful slurping noise. Then it swirled out again,
And here, in Jerusalem, we have the geographic center of the network.
darker and more solid than before.
“Do we know anyone we can pay to sort this out?” Cali asked. My phone should’ve rung a second later, Erupu calling from Paris
“I know someone,” Awotwe said, “In Kinshasa, but she charges safe and sound. Instead, Awotwe gasped, screamed, and collapsed
an arm and a leg.” backwards onto the stone floor.
I shook my head. “We can afford it, but I’m not sure it’s a good Cali grimaced. ”Doesn’t matter how much we offer, no one’s
idea to be asking non-members to look into this.” going to risk their lives stepping through that.”
Greenhill Clinic
Our exclusive clinic provides a variety of life-enhancing treatments, all of them backed up by impeccable science.
High on a mountain above Switzerland’s rich and famous as a great place for detox, not only from
Lake Lucerne sits Bürgenstock, as famous overindulgence in good food but also from addictions to any
for its luxurious spas and wellness centers as substance or activity you care to name. Clients often emerge
it is for the wonderful vistas overlooking the from their spa experience glowing with health and exhibiting
lake. Even higher (in elevation, price, and a new and more rationally based attitude to life. Some, sadly,
exclusivity) is the Greenhill Wellness Center, relapse, but a brief refresher course brings them back to the
Spa, and Clinic. Here clients can purchase a straight and narrow. Friends and family often comment on
variety of spa, wellness, surgical, and medical how youthful older clients look after a visit to the clinic.
treatments along with guaranteed privacy and “Regulars” often live to a grand old age; such are the life-en-
anonymity. Founded in 1987 by Torsten Klebs, hancing effects of the programs offered at the Greenhill.
a highly respected Progenitor physician with Even wealthy people consider the prices of rooms, pro-
backing from his colleague Elliot Svensson, a financier with a grams, and surgeries at the Greenhill exorbitant, but one
particular interest in longevity, the clinic has gone from strength gets what one pays for. Effective treatments in such beautiful
to strength. With the proceeds from the treatments and suites surroundings don’t come cheap. Furthermore, although they
that welcome the wealthy public, they set up a secret lab buried don’t promise immortality, you can’t put a dollar value on
deep in the mountain. There, they and their team work on lasting youthfulness and an extended lifespan
projects to reverse the aging process, prolong life and — once
Neither the licensing authorities nor most of the clients
they’ve got it all perfected — achieve immortality. Dangling
know the Progenitors operate the Greenhill facility. Few, even
forth the prospect of life extension attracts the elite, who book
among the staff, are aware of the underground laboratory,
luxury getaways and add extra treatments and designer products
though some areas are only accessible to staff with high se-
to their already astronomical bills. These supply the funds the
curity clearances. Most of the clinic staff are Sleepers, well
laboratory needs to continue its vital and groundbreaking work.
paid and employed on unremarkable contracts. A variable
Greenhill’s highly skilled staff includes aesthetic surgeons, number of Technocrats continue their research and training
psychiatrists, and psychotherapists. It’s known amongst the belowground, and it is they who administer the experimental
62 The Rich Bastard’s Guide to Magick
life-prolonging and youth-restoring processes. Their experi- All kinds of little clues, ranging from their too-good-to-
mental subjects sign non-disclosure agreements when they be true list of procedures, to the employment of specialists
consent to participate in innovative trials. The Greenhill com- in disciplines considered “fringe” by conventional medicine,
plies fully with standards of Clinical Governance required by might reveal the Technocracy at work here. The Progenitors
the licensing authorities. Everything above the underground are quick to bury clients who see too much in lawsuits and
laboratories is entirely legitimate. non-disclosure agreements, but will take more drastic means
The only qualification for clients of the Greenhill is the to protect their secrets if need be — including burying them for
ability to pay. Programs and treatments have a minimum real. They also expect the utmost caution from their scientists.
duration of a week. The Clinic doesn’t accept day visits, as Once, toward the beginning of this century, an experimental
the psychologists, counsellors, and other professionals need creature — half bat, half butterfly — escaped from the secret
time to do their work. Treatments vary from detoxifying laboratory. The client who spotted it while on a hike met
spas guaranteeing weight loss and improved appearance, with an unfortunate accident on his way home. Dr. Jonas
rehabilitation of addictions both physical and behavioral, Wellington, the Genengineer responsible for the mutated
and common or garden aesthetic surgery through to the creature was only permitted to continue his work at the clinic
month-long “Fountain of Youth” package. All clients must under strict supervision.
consent to a counseling program carried out by a qualified Of course, like any other experimental facility, it has expe-
professional: Attitude change is fundamental to all Greenhill rienced a few failures; some addicts relapse swiftly upon coming
life enhancement programs. back into contact with the forces that led them to addiction
Wealthy mages have spent millions relaxing at this in the first place. Others have ended their own lives, torn be-
world-famous facility, initially unaware that the clinic is tween whatever drove them to their drug and the compulsions
anything other than it appears on the surface. Anyone whose the clinic placed upon them to avoid it. Some elderly clients
health has been magickally tampered with prior to visiting prove insufficiently robust to survive the Procedures intended
the clinic runs the risk of attracting unwanted attention from to rejuvenate them; their death certificates truthfully record
the Progenitors. the cause as myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, or
Gentlemen’s clubs originated in London, family and having the right kind of education — are absolute
England in the 18th century and swiftly spread requirements.
throughout the world. The Constellation Club Following the Victorian tradition, admission to the
prides itself on its policy of admitting persons of Constellation Club requires nomination by at least half a dozen
all genders and ethnicities. The only criteria for existing members, each of whom must have known the proposed
membership are wealth, reputation, and status. member for a minimum of five years. The selection committee
Membership can’t be bought by filthy lucre (whose precise membership and criteria are unknown to any-
alone: a certain degree of sophistication — the one not on the committee) surveys the applications. Members
kind that comes from being born to the right who nominate an unsuitable candidate have an opportunity
64 The Rich Bastard’s Guide to Magick
to withdraw their support, otherwise the expectation is that basements of other facilities, many relying on the My Summer
they will resign their membership. The Constellation relies on Home spell (p. 48). The precise nature and layout of these
its members to keep the Club properly exclusive. networks is privileged to the secretive selection committee, but
The Constellation Club maintains chapterhouses around they share some of this information on a need-to-know basis.
the globe, establishing a presence in all significant financial The advantages of membership are legion. To start with,
capitals and other cities its members might frequent. The the exorbitant annual membership fee provides luxurious
premises always occupy imposing buildings in upmarket parts accommodation and gourmet food in cities all around the
of town: Malabar Hill in Mumbai, Mayfair in London UK, globe. A home away from home, as it were, including facilities
Chaoyang Park in Beijing, Gombe in Kinshasa. The premises to enable a mage to practice her Arts.
have a standard layout. Every reception room shares the same Perhaps more significantly, membership provides a chance
design, with comfortable furniture arranged so as to preserve to network with other rich and sophisticated people, who may
the privacy of small groups. Here members may entertain friends be in a position to provide information, expertise, or services
and associates who are not, themselves, members. Discreet of various kinds. Avery McClean won a luxury yacht from the
but efficient security guards watch over these rooms. Leading sixth in line to the throne of Burundi in a high stakes game of
off from the reception area is a lounge with cocktail service poker. Sakumoto Konami won her company a valuable concession
and a dining room where top chefs offer their creations. All over an exquisitely prepared dinner of fugu washed down with
chapterhouses have a minimum of five beautifully appointed Hideyoshi Flying Pegasus Daiginjo Saki, which she enjoyed with
private suites where members can stay. In the smaller branches, a nephew of the Minister of Transport for Guatemala.
it’s advisable to book these ahead of time to ensure the suite
Many members of royal and noble families from Europe,
of one’s choice is available.
Africa, and Asia maintain membership in the Constellation Club,
The basements contain areas of particular interest to as do captains of industry and Nobel Prize-winning academics.
mages. Here they can find secluded spaces in which to study There are, perhaps surprisingly, few politicians. Politicians, after
and work and libraries well stocked with tomes best hidden all, come and go; aristocracy and academic excellence go on
from Sleeper eyes. These areas count as Sanctum/ Laboratory forever. Similarly, few members have a prominent public profile.
3. Some contain Nodes. Others have portals leading to the Club members are the powers behind the thrones, rather than
Beirut is a beautiful city with a history spanning Occasionally, something in the shop has magickal proper-
5,000 years. Sadly the scene of disastrous conflicts ties, of which Abdulmejit is blissfully unaware. Raniyah, on the
during the second half of the 20th century, other hand, knows precisely which are likely to appeal to her
stretching into the current millennium, it retains magickal clientele. She networks extensively with other family
a great deal of its Levantine charm. Since its members in the business, seeking out and sourcing magickal
foundation by the Phoenicians in the Bronze items for these discerning customers.
Age, it’s been a major center of trade. Its safe Due to the clandestine nature of the business (which, after
harbor and position in the Mediterranean makes all, deals in stolen artwork and items removed from their context
it easy to understand its importance and why so by means no ethical archaeologist would tolerate), Abdulmejit
many civilizations fought over control of it. Beirut and his associates don’t deal with just anyone. Their prized cus-
retains much French influence; it was under the tomers are known as the Connoisseurs of the Levant. Possessed
French mandate from the breakup of the Ottoman Empire after of immense fortunes, all are prepared to pay high prices for
World War I until Lebanon achieved independence in 1943. Thirty coveted items. None of them are fussy about how those items
years of peace followed independence, ending with a disastrous are procured.
civil war in the mid-1970s and war with Israel in the early 1980s.
The Connoisseurs are a loose network. If one gets wind of
The 2006 war, also with Israel, was briefer but left scars on both
an item of no personal interest, he almost certainly knows of
nations. Despite all this, Beirut retains its brilliance as a Levantine
another connoisseur who would clamor for it. Difficulties may
city, a glittering place for cuisine, tourism, art, and nightlife.
arise if two Connoisseurs are interested in the same unique
In the Badaro neighborhood stands Abdulmejit Hasan’s item, but these are easy to resolve: Whoever offers the most
little shop. It’s had many different names over the years but has money gets the prize. Connoisseurs can request or requisition
been in the family for longer than anyone can remember. On items by telephone or internet, but the purchaser must always
a pine shaded avenue, it (along with its neighbors) avoided the organize collection at their own risk. The Connoisseurs have
shelling and the bombs. An uninspiring display of dusty statuettes little in common apart from immense wealth and an interest
and costume jewelry fills its window. The shop appears closed in the type of item lesser mortals believe belongs in a museum.
to the uninitiated, but if a client applies the correct sequence of
Members of the network derive their wealth from many
knocks, Abdulmejit or his daughter Raniyah admits them to a
sources. As a group, they do not have a common attitude to the
back room, turns on the electric lights, and provides a refreshing
less wealthy around them. Some are generous and charitable;
glass of mint tea.
others are misers who resent every cent spent on anything other
Abdulmejit and his family — who run branches in Izmir, than their magpie obsession.
Samarkand, and other cities in the Levant and along the Silk
Road — deal in specialty antiques. It’s an old business, and some
interesting items have passed through its proprietors’ hands. A
Finders, Seekers
Background: The shopkeepers, like Abdulmejit, are com-
painting claiming to be the genuine Mona Lisa once came into
petent businesspeople with extensive contacts in the Levant
Abdulmejit’s great-grandfather’s possession. Abdulmejit himself
and along the Silk Road. More recently they’ve started dealing
proudly displays a painting of Gaugin’s Chair. He insists the one
with people coming out of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria
hanging in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh museum is a fake. Nowadays,
carrying items looted from museums, archaeological sites, and
Abdulmejit deals mainly in items brought out of Iraq, Iran,
their own family heirlooms. Mages amongst the shopkeepers’
Afghanistan, and Syria by people fleeing conflicts there. Some
families are careful to appear no different from their un-Awak-
of these have come to him directly; others have passed through
ened associates, though they may form associations with mages
many hands. Among hundreds of mere trinkets of sentimental
among the Connoisseurs.
value, a substantial percentage are priceless historical artifacts.
Chapter Four: Membership Has Its Privileges 67
The Connoisseurs themselves have little in common. Many Suggested traits: For the shopkeepers, Mental Attributes are
kinds of rich folk seek out rare objects and keep them in private key, particularly Perception. Convincing a client to purchase a
collections. The Connoisseurs don’t open their collections to particular item, or agree to a higher price requires Manipulation.
the public — many of the items they prize have been illegally Most have at least two dots in Alertness and Empathy which also
sourced — but they may boast of them to friends, family, and helps with sales, and many have dots in Subterfuge and Etiquette as
trusted associates. Those Connoisseurs who are known to well. Occult and Investigation help them track down and recognize
each other occasionally arrange exclusive private viewings. items which appeal to the Connoisseurs. The mages among them
More than one mage has found a valuable Fetish, Talisman, or are almost invariably Taftǎni and tend to favor Matter and Prime.
Device when visiting a fellow Connoisseur. Connoisseurs are Practices include Ars Cupiditae, alchemy and craftwork. Their
naturally acquisitive and sometimes a Connoisseur becomes Paradigm is typically Divine Order and Earthly Chaos.
obsessed with possessing an item in someone else’s collection, Anyone can be a Connoisseur. The only requirements
stopping at nothing until she obtains it for herself. are vast wealth and an acquisitive nature. That said, the mag-
Image: The shopkeepers, whether Sleepers or mages, take es among the shopkeepers do everything they can to prevent
great care not to distinguish themselves from any other mer- Nephandi from becoming members of the network and, though
chant in the city where their shop is located. The family has a they don’t outright refuse to sell to Technocrat customers, they’re
long history in the Levant. They command profound respect unlikely to get the best deals. A Technocrat may not realize
in their communities though no one outside the family or the this unless they come into contact with other Connoisseurs
Connoisseurs knows precisely what they do. Most contribute and compare experiences. Connoisseurs are likely to have high
generously to community projects in order to retain this respect. Perception. Academics among them specializing in history,
It’s not as if they can’t afford it. archaeology, or antiques often have a dot or two in Finance.
With the Connoisseurs they become creative, bringing Connoisseurs who are mages favor Prime and Matter. More is
out all kinds of wares they believe to be of interest. They have More is a popular Paradigm and many practice Ars Cupiditae.
an excellent instinct for what would appeal to any specific
customer. Their hospitality is generous. They’re knowledgeable Raniyah
about all the artifacts on offer. More than one wealthy mage has Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 3,
fallen into the temptation of desiring some glorious painting Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 4,
or bronze with no magickal significance whatsoever, unless Wits 3
you count its rarity or its price. It’s rare for a Connoisseur to Abilities: Academics (archaeology) 3, Art 3, Awareness 4,
leave a shop empty-handed or with as much money as he had Belief Systems 3, Crafts 2, Empathy 4, Cultural Savvy 4, Research
when he walked in. 3, Occult 3, Finance 2
The Connoisseurs are just that — collectors. Most have a pro- Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 3, Resources 4
found interest in Middle Eastern or Far Eastern artifacts, though Arete: 3
there’s no prejudice against those who wish to procure Western or
Spheres: Prime: 3, Matter: 2, Forces: 1
African works; those just take a little longer to source. Many have
special relationships with the shop’s proprietors, believing them- Image: Raniyah is a Lebanese woman in her mid-twenties.
selves to be particularly favored customers. In truth, Abdulmejit She is small, slim, and elegant. In Beirut she dresses stylishly
and his colleagues pride themselves on their superior service and in business suits and heels. If conducting her business in more
knowledge of every customer’s preferences, interests, and budgets. conservative areas, she dresses as the locals dress. Raniyah’s
Connoisseurs invariably believe they have impeccable taste and attitude is always professional, she prefers not to enter into
remind their associates of this at every opportunity. Mages amongst personal relationships with her clients.
the Connoisseurs can be of any affiliation, though Raniyah will Roleplaying notes: Raniyah is softly spoken and comes
not deal with Nephandi or, if she can help it, Technocrats. across as modest and reserved. A consummate businesswoman,
Roleplaying notes: Abdulmejit can come across as a little she drives a hard bargain when it comes to buying and selling
too eager to please with his customers. He is, however, generous antiques. She often wears a headscarf which she pulls over her
with his hospitality and offers clients endless mint tea and food face when she’s nervous. She dislikes the Technocracy intensely
lovingly prepared by his wife and daughters. and will not deal with them if she can avoid it. She tolerates the
Traditions and tries to be polite, though some impatience may be
The Connoisseurs have little in common apart from their
apparent to anyone with a degree of Empathy. She is happiest
wealth and magpie nature. They stop at nothing to obtain an
dealing with fellow Disparates.
item they desire. Their money and influence means locks, keys,
and wards don’t deter them — or, more accurately, don’t deter Focus: As a member of the Taftâni, Raniyah believes in Divine
the people they pay to procure their goods. There is a certain Order and Earthly Chaos. She practices Ars Cupiditae. Her
avarice amongst them as they are determined to possess items instruments include cards and instruments of chance, celestial
most people believe belong in public museums. alignments, craftwork, cups and vessels, eye contact, food and
drink, writings, inscriptions, and runes
68 The Rich Bastard’s Guide to Magick
The Oakenash Foundation
Forests are the lungs of this world and therefore we seek to preserve them.
A wealthy coven of Verbena set up the Oakenash programs have, on occasion, come into conflict with the tradi-
Foundation in the United Kingdom (Swindon tional practices of indigenous populations who subsist on meat
to be precise) in the latter part of the 20th hunted in the forest or may employ slash and burn methods of
century. When developers threatened to agriculture. Many of Oakenash’s rich donors sympathize with
destroy the tract of virgin forest they had been indigenous people, though few fully understand how their
using as a grove to make way for a housing practices protect and rejuvenate the forests. The foundation has
development, the coven got together with their taken steps in recent years to remedy this, recruiting indigenous
friends and purchased the forest. They had members and placing them in positions of power. Working with
to wield a certain amount of influence with these members and allies in the Bata’a and Ngoma, they continue
the zoning authorities, but an efficient media educating the membership and changing the more problematic
campaign created significant local opposition policies from within.
to the developers’ scheme. The grove is now private land with Serious threats come from illegal logging and mining
many restrictions on its use. Building is forbidden there, and operations, land clearance for cattle grazing and, of course,
trespassing is strongly discouraged. global climate change. Oakenash Executives, on the whole,
If they could accomplish this in one place, the coven understand most of the actual loggers and miners are poor
thought, why not do it on a larger scale? Oakenash now owns local people who are already struggling to make a living. At
tracts of forest all over the globe including areas in Guatemala, the same time, big corporations and government officials who
Columbia, Brazil, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Europe, the benefit personally from these short sighted activities are funding
United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Efforts to pur- and encouraging the small enterprises. Several governments
chase forest land in the far East are ongoing. The Oakenash and powerful corporations claim climate change is a hoax,
Foundation is a registered charity with many regular donors and, even if CO2 levels are rising, it has nothing to do with
and an active publicity campaign. human activity.
It’s not difficult to persuade people to contribute to pres- For all these reasons, Oakenash takes great pains to keep
ervation efforts. With the exception of climate change deniers, its holdings secure. Security includes wards, as well as armed
people are aware of the important part forests play in climate wardens recruited from the local population. As with the orig-
regulation and the maintenance of biodiversity. Forests also inal bluebell wood, qualified guides conduct tours with the
have immense emotional appeal, as places for tranquil walks aim of educating the public about the forests and the value of
and a space to get away from it all. As well as purchasing tracts maintaining them in their virgin state.
of forested land, Oakenash takes steps to defend its purchases Anyone can become a supporter of Oakenash Foundation.
from encroachment and development. This is an ongoing cost, All supporters can apply to go on the educational tours or
and, over the years, has proven more expensive than all the to use the holdings for approved purposes. The more a sup-
original purchases put together. porter donates, the more likely they are to get access to the
The original stand of bluebell woods just outside the bound- forests. The Executive Committee is particularly sympathetic
aries of Savernake Forest near Swindon is not too challenging to to the requirements of stinking rich mages, as long as they’re
defend. Money and influence buys off potential developers and respectful of nature. The Executive Committee remains dom-
teenage vandals who use the place to drink, smoke, and have sex inated by Verbena, though devoted environmentalists and
don’t do lasting damage. Foundation members conduct guided particularly wealthy patrons also hold prestigious positions in
tours, taking local people and schoolchildren from all over the the organization.
country through the virgin forest to learn about ecology and In recent times Oakenash has benefitted greatly from
wildlife and instill in them an appreciation of nature. the increased awareness of impending ecological disaster. The
Over the past half century, the Oakenash Foundation influx of money from concerned citizens helps, though they
has grown from a small coven of rich Verbena mages to en- still keenly feel the loss of Oakenash forests lost to fires caused
compass a broad church of conservationists, both mundane by drought and human carelessness.
and Awakened. It doesn’t attract many Technocrats — though Compared to most organizations of the wealthy, Oakenash
some have attempted to infiltrate with bad intent — but many are sensitive to the needs of the less well off. They deal with people
Tradition and Disparate mages are sympathetic to the cause. living hand to mouth in some of their more remote locations
Their methods have worked less well in the Americas and in and must take their concerns on board in order to conserve the
Africa where the challenges are completely different. Oakenash’s forests. Even when there is conflict with these less privileged
F474 M0R64N4
Welcome to the future. Here we have all the jet packs and flying cars you ever dreamed of. We can even provide an electric sheep.
F474 M0R64N4 is a C-sector in the Digital Web freedom, and oppression. Those admitted to F474 M0R64N4
(Mage 20, p. 108) constrained and secured by a use this virtual space to craft experimental memes to release
group of the same name. The F474 M0R64N4 “into the wild.” The aim is to get inside the various online
is a handful of rich Virtual Adepts. It may seem bubbles — paradigms or self-perpetuating belief systems created
strange that a group who so passionately believe by Technocrats and by the Sleepers themselves — and cause
data must be free should constrain it, but they people to question their deeply held assumptions and beliefs.
require privacy to create the multiple avatars and Most people, even mages, who work in the virtual web
magickally enhanced self-replicating memes they have a single icon to represent them. F474 M0R64N4, however,
unleash to undermine more repressive sectors. have found a way to use a combination of Correspondence and
It is only possible to enter F474 M0R64N4’s Forces to create multiple avatars, enabling them to be in more
sector with the aid of ludicrously expensive than one place in the Digital Web at the same time. This is
cutting-edge technology. The expectation is that every member extraordinarily helpful when you’re distributing a particularly
will fund their own entry, though the leaders do subsidize some subversive idea. It’s easy for the forces of normality to take
exceptionally able amongst the less well-off. Some members prefer down one instance, but a great deal more difficult when digital
to visit astrally, but in order to get into the sector, they have to graffiti appears in many places at the same time.
acquire the equipment, even if they elect not to use it to visit.
F474 M0R64N4 are a secretive group who formed in the
This equipment forms an essential part of their online security.
1980s. While their ideas haven’t changed much since then,
Once in the sector, the surroundings are those of a late 20th they’re keen to use the latest technologies and methodologies.
century vision of the future with all the associated technology, Joining the group is difficult as they’re highly suspicious of
Cheops Supplements
Welcome to Cheops, direct sales company. You are about the join the ranks of those who have profited from their association
with us. Have you seen these testimonies?
Who doesn’t want to be rich? Who doesn’t like He abandoned his ambitions and started to hang out with
money? Everyone wants to be wealthy, even — old childhood friends who were making names for themselves in
especially — those who are barely scraping by. criminal circles. It was then that the idea of Cheops Wellbeing
Everyone knows pyramid marketing schemes was born, though it took some years to assemble his inner-circle
are illegal but, surely, a mage can pull the wool of suitably disillusioned mages. The first to join him was Márcia
over the eyes of authority and get away with it. Delgado Pinheiro, an Chakravanti from the Favelas of Brazil.
The secret is to make sure it’s all done behind Andre and Márcia were joined by others who had become dis-
closed doors, and no one squeals or complains. illusioned with the Traditions’ rigidity. They came to think of
Fear ensures compliance, as does the promise themselves as rebels against the established order and particularly
of more riches for those bold enough to dare. resented the Protocol concerning the protection of Sleepers.
A handful of filthy rich mages run this classic pyramid Rich mages, they observed, tended to respect this Protocol in
marketing scheme. They don’t have a physical base; they don’t name only, just as the rich have always exploited the poor. Now
need one. They have a credible registered address in Singapore; that the scheme is off the ground, these mages mostly describe
an office where secretaries scan and forward physical mail. They themselves as Orphans. They recruit from among all Traditions
operate through cell phone networks and the internet, which and several Disparate factions.
work perfectly well without magick of any kind. Anyone who Most mages who join the scheme feel oppressed by the rich
can access the mundane dark web can get access to all the email and privileged and want to dig themselves out of that hole by
addresses and cellphone numbers they require. Some eager new becoming rich and privileged themselves. Individuals may feel
members consider using rotes like Psychic Interface to get the some guilt about the abuse of those in the lower layers, but they
information they need to operate, but veterans explain that stay in the scheme for much the same reasons as Sleepers do.
would be like using a chainsaw to open a peanut. The scheme Either they are dependent on the steady income or they fear being
runs fine on purely mundane means. Magick use is reserved for blackmailed by other Awakened members of the Pyramid. The
covering their trail and appearing legitimate when confronted Awakened members are less susceptible to the higher echelon’s
by the authorities. Anyway, as more and more Sleepers become use of the FOMO rote (p. 53) which is a favored way of keeping
part of the pyramid, the mages spend less and less time getting the middle layers of the pyramid in line.
their own hands dirty. Cheops sells “health food supplements” which, they claim,
Cheops was the brainchild of Andre Belushi, formerly safely boost the immune system and can cure any ailment from
of the Order of Hermes. Andre grew up in a series of trailer the common cold, through infertility, to cancer. Most of the
parks in the American Midwest. His mother worked hard to supplements they sell are placebos: entirely harmless and inert.
put him through school, and he repaid her by doing well at his However, the mages at the top occasionally use magick to affect
studies and winning a good undergraduate place. He Awakened a miracle cure, and encourage their top-line salespeople to try it
during his sophomore year and joined the Order of Hermes. out. This is a particularly popular tactic at mass sales meetings,
Since childhood he had been obsessed with discovering his where those members offer up enthusiastic testimonials. The
father’s identity. Finding out he’d been sired by a rich Adept Paradox-attracting potential of performing miracles in front
Major, who abandoned him before he was even born, was of an audience of Sleepers is almost insignificant when that
a turning point in his relationship with the Order. He also audience is made up of salespeople who desperately need to
came to the realization that, despite his academic ability and believe the supplements they sell are effective. Behavioral
achievements, his classmates would never get over thinking of psychology indicates that intermittent reinforcement is ex-
him as trailer trash. traordinarily effective at altering behaviors. It’s also effective
in cementing belief.
The Escapists
When the going gets tough the rich head for the hills.
There are many dangers in the world of the only affect some parts of the planet. Only total environmental
21st century, many things that can wipe out breakdown or nuclear winter is likely to affect the entire globe
lives, livelihoods, and humanity’s lifestyles at once. In some cases, isolating oneself in an exclusive (and
in general. War, terrorism, revolution, civil adequately secure) mountain lodge in the Himalayas for a few
unrest, pandemics, plagues, nuclear accidents, weeks would be sufficient. Others prepare to wait years in a
ecological meltdown, zombie apocalypse. Most well-hidden nuclear bunker. No one person owns a property
people fear one or more of these, often for good for every contingency, but, between them, the Escapists’ vari-
reason, and take sensible precautions. They ous properties cover just about every kind of emergency. They
observe good hygiene, keep an emergency pack even have a contact or two in the Arcology (see below) and an
by the front door, share contingency plans with arrangement to use their facilities should an asteroid or comet
friends and family, and so on. threaten to impact the earth.
Rich people can go one further. They plan to escape natural The typical Escapist survival kit is extensive. Private jets and
and man-made disasters entirely, keeping themselves out of the helicopters are available to enable members, their families, and
way of the rest of humanity until things blow over and they can their staff to reach the facilities before the authorities put effective
get back to their normal lives. Even if a situation has no hope travel bans in place. The Escapists travel with their own medical
of blowing over, the rich, unlike the average survivalist, plan teams and supplies. The hideaways themselves contain enough
to live out the remainder of their lives in comfort. As anyone non-perishables to keep them fed for at least a year. Security and
who has seen a post-apocalyptic movie is aware, if you have domestic staff permanently stationed in the safe zones check and
yourself set up to survive the apocalypse, you’d better keep quiet replenish these periodically, according to a strict schedule.
about it. Your carefully stashed resources are going to become The Escapists recruit by word of mouth. If, for instance,
highly desirable and you need to plan how to keep them in at a gathering of the stupendously wealthy, a guest mentions a
your hands, and out of the hands of those who didn’t have concern about a future breakdown in society, an Escapist might
the foresight or resources to pre-plan for such a contingency. approach them cautiously in sympathetic conversation. If they
Whilst most survivalists plan for themselves and close have the right attitude and can meet the membership criteria,
family, or for a close-knit community, the richest Escapists plan they receive an invitation to join. Conditions for membership
to keep in touch via satellite networks after the apocalypse. are ownership and maintenance of a suitable property for escape
This way they’ll be able to share up to date information about and survival of societal breakdown. They agree to make this
the situation on the ground and — as long as their fuel holds available, on reasonable request, to other Escapists. Members
out —keep each other supplied with commodities that might join and leave the organization as their fortunes and attitudes
be more abundant in one locality than others. Even after change, so it’s not super-secret. Many wealthy people are aware of
the apocalypse, the Escapists believe, commerce must go on. the existence of this network and quite a few of them, whilst not
Without commerce, there can be no civilization. being members, possess premises that are available for Escapist
The Escapists maintain a variety of properties around activities in an emergency. About a third of the Escapists are mages.
the globe, each geared toward a different type of catastrophe. From the point of view of a wealthy mage, not only does
Profound civil unrest or a chemical or nuclear accident might membership provide a safety net in case of apocalypse, it also
There are plenty of perfectly legitimate mountains. At present it isn’t possible to get official permis-
businesses who cater to the desires of adrenaline sion to attempt any of Bhutan’s unclimbed peaks, however,
junkies, those who yearn for extreme experiences the Void Engineer Zaysu Hisaku worked out a method for
and adventures. Some of them are more ethical remotely opening a portal. Her team sends up a cloaked and
than others, and some take better care of their enchanted drone from Tibet which anchors the far end of
clients than others. But, once you’ve climbed the portal so the team can pass through. They’ll never get
K2, waded through the Devil’s pool in Zambia, the credit for being the first to scale Gangkhar Puensum, but
Hiked Mount Huashan or bungee jumped Off they had the thrill of doing it nonetheless. Part of that thrill
Macau Tower, ridden your mountain bike along was the risk of detection by the Sleeper authorities of Bhutan.
Death’s Road in La Paz, Bolivia etc., what do Since then there have been several Sensational Adventurers
you do next? Face it, those experiences might Club excursions to the area. Some enjoy the thrill of skiing
not be precisely cheap, but they’re on a lot of people’s bucket down forbidden slopes whereas others are more interested
lists. For most people, any one of these is the trip of a lifetime: in investigating why the Bhutanese are so protective of their
an expense they save up for years to attend. For the fabulously mountains. Some mages adept with Spirit have claimed there
wealthy, mass tourism threatens to spoil their once-exclusive are a number of Shallowings in the area.
activities. Just look at the nose to tail lines forming on the Club Members expect to include others in their activities
ascent of Everest! where possible and to use whatever influence they have to help
And that is just the Sleepers. other adventurers’ schemes come to fruition. Money is essential
A couple of decades back, a crowd of Etherites decided to this group, as not every problem can be solved by magic
they could do better. Wealth and influence can do a great alone. Wealth and influence are useful tools for circumvent-
deal to hide intrepid adventures from the eyes of society. One ing the limits Sleeper authorities and governments impose to
member had the autobahn (A42) closed from Oberhausen to prevent foolhardy Sleepers from hurting themselves. Members
Dortmund to accommodate a private drag race for ten of her find out about the group by word of mouth, perhaps whilst
friends in vehicles that would strike Sleeper eyes as impossi- participating on a more publicly available adventure or via a
bilities. Each contestant created their own prototype and most friend of a friend. They keep in touch by phone, in person,
decided on fantastical forms. There was a five wheeled vehicle and in private groups on social media.
in the shape of a fire-breathing dragon, the heat from its breath The Adventurers see no need to keep their existence secret.
enhancing forward movement by means of inflating its wings. Many non-members, such as local guides and hoteliers, are aware
Three racers had vehicles that could have come straight out of the group (though not of their magickal nature) and alert
of a Steampunk novel and, one, which never came into con- their contacts to new possibilities. As well as facilitating each
tact with the ground, looked like a Victorian conception of a other’s expeditions, Adventurers share ideas for increasingly
space-going vehicle. Although to this day the race’s organizer daring exploits. Some treat it as a competition, vying with one
Anastasia Goldheart, denies it, nearly half the competitors another to undertake increasingly dangerous feats.
were Void Engineers. The Adventurers occasionally subsidize dedicated adrena-
The race was so successful that the Club, previously only line junkies with fewer resources. They sponsor disadvantaged
open to Etherites and trusted members of other Traditions, Sleeper youth to experience bungie jumping, cave diving,
officially (but quietly) opened its gates to Void Engineers. The zipwires, and other extreme sports. These expeditions involve
Club appeals to the Convention almost as strongly as it does to enough travel to allow the youngsters to experience a different
the Etherites who founded it. Certainly, they all fear the New culture. Although reckless when it comes to their own safety,
World Order breathing down their necks but a little paranoia the Adventurers are careful to keep these youngsters as safe as
only enhances the adrenaline rush. possible whilst enjoying their adventures. Losing one of the
One of their better known enterprises is the organization teens would risk attracting Sleeper witnesses, something the
of High Orbital HALO jumps. These generate Club income group are keen to avoid.
(always handy) and also help to identify potential recruits. Due to the nature of their activities, the Sensational
Astronomically rich though members of the Sensational Adventurers Club has a high fatality rate. That’s not a deter-
Adventurers Club are, their tastes in entertainment are ex- rent: if their activities were safe, they’d lose their attraction.
tremely expensive. Group members rally to support the families and friends of
Less well-known outside the group is its access to unclimbed the deceased. Since the accidents happen in such treacherous
The Arcologists
The Earth’s resources are finite. However hard you work to conserve them, they remain finite.
Out amongst the stars, however, there are infinite resources. Let’s go get them. Seed humanity throughout the Universe
The Arcologists are a top-secret group comprised time, it was easy for the Arcologists to use one of the smaller
of people who sincerely believe the world is islands as a base to set up a sea floor arcology, or self-contained
about to come to an end. There is some cross- habitat. The Arcologists occupying the sea floor construction
membership with the Escapists, but this isn’t keep themselves discreetly supplied, with the help of their
a fear of mere societal breakdown, it’s more to scientists employed on the islands. The structure was set up
do with the (not totally irrational) belief the over a Node, so there’s no shortage of Quintessence for the
earth will become uninhabitable within the next scientists’ needs.
four or five generations. Toward the end of that The purpose of the sea-floor arcology is twofold. First,
period, although it might be possible to survive it enables the Arcologists to experiment with what makes an
on Earth, life would become unpleasant with arcology work; how physical beings can survive in one and be-
small groups of humanity in intense competition come self-sufficient. Second, it functions as a base from which
for ever-dwindling resources. These individuals, therefore, are to construct an arcology at the L5 point. Currently, working
preparing a habitat at the L5 Lagrangian point between Earth with some talented — if slightly heretical — Void Engineers,
and the Moon. Several members were previously involved in the they’ve managed to set up a Horizon Construct grounded by
L5 Society (now dissolved). the underwater arcology itself. One Void Engineer fondly calls
They operate out of a top secret laboratory on the sea it a literal example of “As below, so above.”
floor quite near the remote and sparsely populated Kerguelen Currently, the Arcologists are primarily working on keeping
Islands, otherwise known as the Desolation Islands. Most of their Horizon Construct grounded and accessible from the
the 45 humans present in winter and just over a hundred in undersea arcology. They dedicate considerable resources to
summer are scientists. As hardly anyone lives there all the their defenses, as roving anomalies, echoes of the Dimensional
Hurtling at terminal velocity toward the planet I begin to rethink my out of that fireproof and magickally sealed box I’ve felt like I’m being
life choices. Was it really sensible to launch myself from a low-Earth orbital followed by some … thing? It might just be the anxiety speaking but
ship and expect to survive? Sense clearly had nothing to do with it. The last I could swear there’s something hanging around waiting to strike.
48 hours were full of things that I likely shouldn’t have done. I shouldn’t have The little bit I read of the book is inflammatory and contains some real
agreed to dumpster dive the remains of Doissetep. I shouldn’t have joined in whoppers about both the Traditions and some members of the Technocracy.
the attack on that Amalgam on the dark side of the Moon. I shouldn’t have It’s not surprising that ol’ Porthos had a lot of dirt on everyone he could get
paid for the kilo of cocaine that I left in the ship. Hopefully the autopilot his hands on. What is surprising is that he put it down into a book at all.
lands successfully because wasting all of that would be a real shame. The way this is written it seems he wanted someone to find it, eventually.
What I should probably do is just hang-out at home, enjoy Probably he did, hoping it would fall into the right hands and it would cause
some cupcakes, swim a little bit in the pool, maybe have a cocktail an explosion even larger than what took out his home.
and smoke something herbal. Chill. That’s what I should do. I can’t Well, it’s time to pull the chute… otherwise I won’t survive
remember the last time I relaxed for more than 10 minutes. Instead, this drop. It’s not working … I’m pulling and the damn thing isn’t
it’s a breakneck 500 kilos per minute hop from one layer of excitement releasing. Now I feel like there is something on my back … something
to the next. I certainly live in interesting times, and it truly is a curse. big. Something tearing into me … shit, what is that!?
Getting talked into this adventure was likely the start of a new
series of bad ideas too. The book I’m carrying in my backpack is Porthos’ Famed adventurer and entrepreneur Sarah
grimoire and it’s going to cause a stir because it’s just as much a diary al-Hasmini died during an experimental high orbit
as it is a book of magic spells. It’s weird too, because since I pulled it
skydiving jump today. More information to follow.
Lake Chantry are alarmed and have video image threat recognition. A small
orbital satellite keeps constant watch on the complex. While
Sanctum 8 the satellite has some magickal protections in place, it’s no
Node 4 longer the cutting-edge piece of machinery it was at the time
Governor’s Island is one of the most expensive places to of purchase. Things become obsolete fast, and the house’s
live in New Hampshire, boasting several dozen homes with orbital protection is due for some upgrades.
values over $10 million. The Island is connected via bridge to
the town of Guilford. The Winnipesauke Lake Chantry sits Magickal Elements
on the grounds of an ancient Dreamspeaker node. European Wards inscribed on the underside of the bridge alert the
settlers murdered the island’s Native American protectors, house’s owners to anyone crossing with an Awakened avatar.
then left it barren for nearly 100 years until it became the Wards placed on the property’s perimeter alerts occupants
property of Benning Wentworth, the governor of the New to the presence of Night-Folk in the proximity. These wards
Hampshire colony. completely lock out all wraiths and specters, though there are
very few of these entities in the immediate area.
The node was rediscovered soon afterward by a member
of the Seers of Chronos who purchased the plot and built up Each umbral entryway is blocked magickally from use by
his home over several decades. Nathaniel Hartwell was enam- anyone except chantry members, or if they have a willing chantry
ored with the island and would likely still live there if he had member who accompanies them. The umbral reflection of the
not been killed in the mid-1800s by members of the nascent chantry is a perfect simulation of the entire mansion, except
Technocratic Union. The property was again purchased by a large open space in the center of the mansion where a large
mages in the late 1990s and a new chantry was plotted out sugar maple grows. This tree is the spirit center of the node.
and finally built in 2003. The Chantry comes equipped with various types of
technomantic Devices and Wonders, including two virtual
Layout reality machines in the game room, allowing for access to the
The Chantry itself is a mansion like the other homes on Digital Web.
Governors Island — 22 rooms on the official record, more that
aren’t. The building is three stories with a large gym, a movie Electric Powwow Machine •••• (Device)
theater, two kitchens, and a large patio overlooking the lake. Arete 4, Quintessence N/A, Background Cost 18 pts.
The home’s fixtures and furnishes are expensive but under- A huge fan of bands like A Tribe Called Red, former Chantry
stated, the very picture of reserved splendor. resident Jeremy Spirit Seeker put together a device to help create
Alongside the main house is a large boat house. Three the right mindscape for rituals of all sorts. The Electric Powwow
boats are moored here. The boathouse also contains one of Machine’s rhythms can be programmed with hundreds of beats
two entrances to the Chantry’s umbral reflection. Next to the for various magickal purposes. Unlike a normal machine, it is
boathouse, embodied spirits tend the herbs and plants in the also Awakened and capable of summoning spirits and can boost
greenhouse the magickal power of its user.
Underneath the mansion are a series of basements and System: The Electric Powwow Machine provides a magickal
subbasements, only two of which appear on the official records. synergy bonus to any mage who uses drums to reach an ecstatic
The laboratories are here, including a ritual space. From this state. This reduces the difficulty of all Spirit-related magick by
area, the powerful wards which protect the Chantry are gen- 1. With a Spirit 4 Effect, it can summon spirits for the user
erated. These wards have been fluctuating with the attitude to consult with.
of the node’s guardian, acting as a bit of a spiritual beacon to
other awakened mages. The second entrance to the umbral Hliðskjálf •••• (Talisman)
layer of the Chantry is here in the shared office and appears Arete 4, Quintessence N/A, Background Cost 20 pts.
to be a normal oak door with an engraved gold star. This traditional Norse High Seat sits in a common area
The house has no mortal servants. Instead, biomechanical overlooking the lake. While the technology throughout the
robots infused with spirits provide the cleaning and mainte- Chantry allows its owners to keep an eye on the island and
nance, and work in the greenhouse. From a distance of at least ensure they’re safe, the High Seat Hliðskjálf takes things one
a meter they appear to be fully human. From time to time these step farther. Anyone seated upon it can see through the eyes and
servants need to be serviced. hear through the ears of all creatures on the island, including all
The board room was cold, a state exacerbated by the austere The gray-haired woman opened the box and withdrew a small
decoration. Glass table, white walls, sleek chrome chairs. The law device. Here in this ultra-modern room, it seemed like an ancient thing,
firm catered to rich clients, people with multiple estates, garages full all brass and polished wood. “Mr. Banesworth has a few words for you.”
of classic cars, and more money than they or their children could She pushed a button on the side and gears whirred within.
spend in their lifetimes.
A sigil glowed bright silver on its side. Four pairs of eyes widened.
Four people sat at the table, eyeing one another warily. Two
The image of William Banesworth swam into focus above the
seemed perfectly at home here, dressed to the nines, jewels winking
box. “You may be wondering why you’re all gathered here,” he began.
subtly in the light the floor-to-ceiling windows let in. The other two were
The gray haired woman watched their reactions. She’d heard the speech
very much out of place: a man in an ill-fitting suit, a young woman
before, from any number of other clients: chosen heirs, ridiculous sum
in jeans and a tee shirt, her only concession to formality an oversized
of money, all the papers drawn up.
blazer she’d probably borrowed from a parent.
It was the sigil that made this one different. That, and the subtle
No one spoke or sipped their complimentary coffees, though the
feel of Resonance winding around all four of them: mages all, and
lawyer’s assistant had poured them each a steaming cup before scurrying
talented ones at that. Did they know, how fate — and Banesworth
away to attend their duties.
— had marked them? How he drew their destinies together even now
The clock on the wall ticked over to the hour, and a gray-haired that he was gone? The young woman seemed to be catching on. The
woman in a navy suit entered. She sat at the head of the table, and others, it took them a little longer.
took her time settling her papers and a small wooden box just so.
This fortune’s all yours...
When she was satisfied, she stared at each of the attendees in turn.
...if you do this one task.
“You’re here today to hear the last will and testament of William
Banesworth. The four of you are his chosen heirs.” They sat in stunned silence after Banesworth’s hologram finished
its monologue. One by one, they turned to her, as though she might
The young woman sat up straighter. “I don’t know any Will—”
be able to make sense of their sudden riches.
“That doesn’t matter. He named you — all of you. Shall I proceed?”
“The papers are all drawn up,” she said. “I just need you to sign,
They nodded, one by one. and we can begin.”