Friday Night Mage game

[BobChuck]

I stumbled across a Friday Night Mage group. It's at

Darkwood Manor
13 1/2 East College Avenue
Westerville, OH 43081
(614)543-8406

You may have seen posts for this on the White Wolf Forums. I've been to the store a couple times, and it's actually pretty nice. The book selection is small, but he'll order things if you ask, and he's got a 10% discount on all sales until the end of March. Best of all, he's right below a pizza place. I have no idea how good the pizza is, but it's right there, which is cool.

The Mage game will start around (hopefully right at) 7 pm.

[Measure Zero]

I stumbled across a Friday Night Mage group. It's at

Darkwood Manor
13 1/2 East College Avenue
Westerville, OH 43081
(614)543-8406

You may have seen posts for this on the White Wolf Forums. I've been to the store a couple times, and it's actually pretty nice. The book selection is small, but he'll order things if you ask, and he's got a 10% discount on all sales until the end of March. Best of all, he's right below a pizza place. I have no idea how good the pizza is, but it's right there, which is cool.

The Mage game will start around (hopefully right at) 7 pm.

Are you going?  If so, could I get a ride please?

[BobChuck]

Yes, I plan on attending. It doesn't start until next week, though.

I'm already giving my brother a ride, so one more shouldn't be difficult.

It starts a 7 p.m., and will only go until 10-11 or so (the store owner has a wife and a small child, so one can only expect so much).

Will this be a problem?

[Measure Zero]

Yes, I plan on attending. It doesn't start until next week, though.

I'm already giving my brother a ride, so one more shouldn't be difficult.

It starts a 7 p.m., and will only go until 10-11 or so (the store owner has a wife and a small child, so one can only expect so much).

Will this be a problem?

Nope.  Should I make a character beforehand?

[BobChuck]

Considering that

a) I have no idea what the story is going to be like;

and

b) We have one person who has never played Mage and one person who has only played once

I would assume that, no, you should not make a char before hand.

I would even go so far as to suggest having multiple supporting character ideas ready. Someone with Fate and Time is always useful,
someone with Life and Spirit is always useful,
someone with Mind is always useful, and
someone with Prime is always useful.

All the arcana have their place, but as a party we should have all of the above at two dots, at least.

That's my opinion, anyway.

If anything changes, I will let you know.

[Measure Zero]

I can come up with new ideas as needed, but I was kind of hoping to play a Forge Master character.  It makes for good supporting characters, and it comes with tons of obvious plot hooks.  It's unfortunate that the Prime/Matter combo is so hard to work with outside of this particular legacy.

[BobChuck]

You like that legacy too, huh?

In DnD, my favorite concept is a Paladin / Wizard who make magic items, so the 'Obrimos Clause' in the Legacy's description was perfect.

[Measure Zero]

The moral neutrality of the legacy is one of its positive points for me.  The whole point of the legacy is the focus on the craft work as the purpose of their magic.  What the forged items are used for is secondary if not entirely inconsequential.  Forge Masters are not crusaders, but craftsmen.  This is why the legacy appeals to me.

[Thomas Kerwin]

Cool! I want to play a magical Wernher von Braun.

[BobChuck]

Question from the person who will be running the game:

I have some ideas for the game, but I would like to hear from the players, also. What kind of game are you looking for? Do you want a subtle game of spies in the shadows, or do you want more open confrontations? Do you want creepy things that reach out from the shadows, or do you want to deal with rogue mages? Dark conspiracies or open politics? Also, what kind of mages are you interested in playing? How do you want to describe the group? What skills or magics do you want?

I am thinking of bringing back some of the old technocracy conventions, though just as organizations, not evil, reality spanning anti-mages. Also, I am not a big fan of the Atlantis theory, so I am going to downplay that a bit. The Council of Atlantis tends to be more of a neutral forum. They want to spread their culture and rules, but they recognize that diplomacy, not force, is the key to success. The conventions will have some representation in the Council, as will various other smaller factions.
 
Give me feedback
 
Heath
 

[Measure Zero]

Question from the person who will be running the game:

I have some ideas for the game, but I would like to hear from the players, also. What kind of game are you looking for? Do you want a subtle game of spies in the shadows, or do you want more open confrontations? Do you want creepy things that reach out from the shadows, or do you want to deal with rogue mages? Dark conspiracies or open politics? Also, what kind of mages are you interested in playing? How do you want to describe the group? What skills or magics do you want?

I am thinking of bringing back some of the old technocracy conventions, though just as organizations, not evil, reality spanning anti-mages. Also, I am not a big fan of the Atlantis theory, so I am going to downplay that a bit. The Council of Atlantis tends to be more of a neutral forum. They want to spread their culture and rules, but they recognize that diplomacy, not force, is the key to success. The conventions will have some representation in the Council, as will various other smaller factions.
 
Give me feedback
 
Heath
 

Whatever he wants to do will be okay with me; I should be able to adapt.  That said, the idea of playing blue collar mage building contractors appeals to me.  It gives us a real reason to have a cabal together, it gives other mages a reason to give us "missions", and it means that many "high-class" mages really wouldn't want to give us respect.  On the other hand, when is building a new sanctum it might help to have a mage building crew around, and there are instances when the GoV might need to subcontract certain cleaning work.  There should be opportunities for all kinds of play here.

Some possible character concepts to go along with this:
Leader/Foreman/Tamer of Earth
Bricklayer/Drywaller/Uncrowned King
Welder/Custom Metalworker/Forge Master
Laborer/"The Quiet Guy"/Perfected Adept
Business Manager/Negotiator

[BobChuck]

From the Storyteller:

Okay, Seekers of the Ruined Temple it shall be. I'll keep out the conspiracies, but there are other mages seeking the same things you are, but for different reasons. Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, National Treasure, Sahara, The Mummy, etc., will be my inspirations. Languages will be important (or magics that can compensate).
 
Finding ancient temples with magic will be difficult. The temples that haven't been protected properly have already been found. Those that have been protected, however, will leave footprints among the natives, shadows within the cultures. You will have to talk to people, do some research, follow clues, and put together the pieces of intangible puzzles.
 
And avoid the nasty things that protect the temples.
And dodge the traps set in the way.
And do it without letting the competition know.

Focus less on combat and more on investigation. There are so many ways to use magic to escape, and a simple firearm really does the trick. Manipulating minds, reading auras, tracking descendents of an ancient people, helping the crops of locals, all can be used to help you along the path.
 
Heath
 

[Measure Zero]

Due to flakiness concerns, I may have to skip out on this Mage thing.

[BobChuck]

yeah, I was thinking the same thing...

[BobChuck]

Just so you know, the Friday Night Mage game has been permanently canceled.

If any Mage happens in the future, it will be on Thursday Nights.

I will see all of you on Saturday.