Minion, Mute
Esoteric Counter Assault Squad
W
e are not sure WHO exactly is pulling the strings of this reported ECAS team. A faction has apparently begun to spread its influence into modern military branches and organizations. This is not new for the Magi by any means; there is a long history of influencing the mundane powers of the world. But because of the age of silence, it has never been combined with the destructive power of modern weaponry.
Y
our Codex has been bound with many protective bindings and dweomers that not only contain and preserve the code of your inscriptions, but also protect a Magi from mundane threats and provide a receptacle of power for casting minor cantrips. This is performed by simply borrowing slightly from the vast power inscribed into your war magicks. You have the ability to skim lightly from that power to cause a wide range of effects. But if you skim too much then the power of the spell is utilized and it is rendered inert until it can be re-attuned. You can use this to deflect bullets, arrows, knives and other crude killing tools of the mutes.
U
nfortunately, the mutes have progressed alarmingly these past 150 years. Their heavy weapons now often rival the power of our magick. We believe this ECAS team has destroyed or captured over a dozen Magi so far. They stalk their prey carefully with satellite and other surveillance technology to set up elaborate ambushes. They surround their targets from long range fortified positions that have been magickally warded somehow by whoever is helping them. This creates a potentially devastating attack on the unprepared Magi. They also strike as one, with organized and concentrated firepower, which can overwhelm the protective magicks incorporated into your Codex. If the target survives their initial assault, they have reserve fire power, artillery strikes, hellfire missiles and more that they can call upon, which can be as destructive as any Forces Magi. These teams have obviously been specifically trained to counter us. What is not clear is how they are identifying us. Who is pulling their strings?
41
Illus: Blackpoint
Ward 1
Esoteric Counter Assault Squad
1 +1
10 +3 represents a single Each member of the Squad, that occupies their own zone.
Draw Bag: 4 2 1 *when Squad <5 add 1(+1)
Unshielded Magi Lowest Warded Positions: The Squad has received magickal support, and are surrounding the magi from long range. Each Member has Ward Dmg 1. Area Effects only target 2 Members, Global effects target 3.
* to Bag
Bag Reset: 3
All Magi Shielded Ability Chart A Magi Focused
chips drawn
Air Srike Forces, Area, Dmg 5, Pierce 3 Full Assault Generic Physical Dmg = Squad
Ability Chart B
Field Surgery Encounter Regain 1
Mundane Dmg: Each point of Generic Physical Dmg may be Warded via your codex by paying either 1 , 1 , or Banishing 1 Spell.
Ability Chart A
Ability Chart B
1-3
Immediate Full Assault strike: with Pierce X (X = 75% Squad )
1-3
4-6
Immediate Full Assault strike: with Pierce Y (Y = 50% Squad )
4-7
Flash Bang: Forces, Disrupt, Area, Subtle, Dmg 1
7-9
Immediate Full Assault strike: with Pierce Z (Z = 25% Squad )
8-0
Tactical Failure: No effect (still costs an action)
0
Explosive Malfunction: Squad loses 1
Artillery Strike: Forces, Free Action, Area, Disrupt, Dmg 3
42
Minion, Shadow
Lesser Sentient Shadow
T
hese Shadows are the result of an ancient and corrupted Nam-shub that Magi consistently and mistakenly believe will provide them with an endless supply of powerful servants. The actual results are these twisted echoes of discord. Their very touch causes your reality of self to unravel in mere moments. The Magi who create them are usually the first to perish. It is rumored that death by a shadow means obliteration of the soul; although I discount anything that claims to annihilate the soul. he attacks of the Shadow are all innate abilities except for Purge the Light. That seems to operate similar to a spell, for I have countered it before with Abjuration magick. Taking on the Shadow requires a balance of offense and defense. For it is slippery and cowardly, it will shift into smoke in the face of any incoming attack, but I have noticed that it costs the Shadow energy to do so. Thus a constant attack will help drain the creature. But, it gathers Resonance like a leech on bull, and you must be wary of its Discordant attacks. t sheds Etheric curses fairly instinctively, thus the physical curses seem to affect it more, which I find completely irrational for it is a thing purely of hate, smoke and discord. But perhaps it is an echo of physical life, and thus is susceptible to the curses that effect the physical realm. I do not claim to understand it; I only know that I will continue to destroy these products of twisted magick wherever I find them.
T I
- Kalen the Skald. 43
Illus: Telthona
Lesser Sentient Shadow
1
2
+1
+1
10
Lowest
+2 Encounter attempts to Evade all Dmg Attacks targeting Response Ability: it as a Free Action Response. After the Evade activates, Chip to be successful. Evade all Dmg Attacks the Encounter must draw a Immediately return the chip to the bag.
1
Draw Bag: 4
2
Bag Reset: 3
and 1
chips drawn
3
Soul or Mind Curse on Encounter Roll on Ability Chart A
4
Purge the Light Area, Subtle, 5 Dmg, Spell
2
Focused Opponent Roll on Ability Chart B
2
Spectral claw 3 Dmg
0
Draw Darkness Gain 2
Dark Lash Area, Subtle, 1 Dmg Encounter <5
Attacks gain Pierce 2
Ability Chart A
Ability Chart B
1-3
Dispel All Curses on Encounter as a Free Action
1-3
Area, Subtle, Disrupt. If a Magi Loses Focus this way they lose 2
4-6
Dispel most recent Curse on Encounter
4-6
Area, Disrupt, Free Action
7-9
Area Dmg 1. Encounter +1
7 - 9 Failed Dispel, Encounter +1 0
Critical Failure, Encounter -2
0
Critical Failure
44
Master, Magi
CY Passley
T
he Antagonist CY Passley was groomed by Cain to be his own keystone. Or at least that is the word closest when translated. A keystone is rumored to be a living lexicon of the great tongue. Inscribers say that the language of creation shifts according to context, a slight nuance here, an emphasis there in response to a living changing universe. Even the collective beliefs of Man and Magi can have subtle effects on magickal cast phrases and render some inert or unpredictable. The keystone is a conduit of the language, a seer and worker of the patterns underlying the patterns. CY was to be Cainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and thus installed in the tower, it was explained to me, to keep its corridors of code pure. But my shadow memories of those times are vague and incomplete.
R
egardless of what the Antagonist CY was supposed to accomplish for his master, he apparently used his access to master the language regarding space and time to such a degree that he transcended the need for inscriptions altogether. He speaks without a Codex and the world adjusts to his whim.
W
hen ordered to raze the great libraries of the world at the behest of Cain´s rage, CY rebelled and disappeared into a rift. His journals speak of a Hunt. A journey through the fifth dimension, seeking out parallel versions of himself. While some researchers interpret his writings to mean that he is devouring the power of his shadow selves, I am not convinced that is his true purpose. Throughout time he continues to appear ever stronger, a slippery foe since the moment before he ever faces defeat the Antagonist slips into another dimension. And the rare time he fails to do that, it is reported that his shattered form dissolved but then it was not long before he was seen again. DOES the original CY Passley still exist or has his place in this world been taken by an echo from another dimension?
I 45
have memories of facing CY in 1456 outside of Istanbul where my cabal delved into ruins long since buried from the eyes of man. We were hunting for vestiges of Babâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;el which I cannot write of here. He appeared before us in a stomach churning flash. I do not remember the specifics of the conflict that occurred when our arrogant leader defended our find from him, but I know that all but three of us were slain and that before CY slipped back into his parallel universe, his eyes met mine; and though there was something wild and inhuman about them it seemed he was trying to impart a desperate message to me. Illus: Vaporization
CY Passley
3 +1
10
Unshielded Magi Lowest
+3 All abilities are classified as Quantum Spells Draw Bag: 4
6
Free Action Response to being targeted by an attack. Discard 1 Rift: Roll Die, on 6 or less Evade All Spheres and Cy becomes cloaked* until his next action. 2
2
1
Bag Reset: after every draw
Has 0-1 Rift Charges Summon Creation, Rift: 3 charges
Discard 2 Rifts Veiled, 3 Dmg
Area Pulse Area, 1 Dmg, Interrupt Stone, Disrupt
Discard 1 Rift
2 Dmg
Summoning Summon Creation, Rift: 1 charge
Discard 3 Rifts Area, 5 Dmg, Shatter 2
Curse on Encounter, Discard 2 Rifts Dispel all Curses on Encounter, Curse Controllers take 3 Dmg
Discard 1 Summon Creation, Rift: 4 charges
Discard 1 Rift, Area Abjuration Duration of all playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; spells reduced by 1 Surge Encounter +1 46
*Cloaked: Opponents may not target cloaked beings except with area effects.
Master, Creature
Abomination of Merovech
O
ne of the earlier disciples of Cain, Alaric Demarest was known as the scout of Nod, the Merovech, the one that comes before, a harbinger of Cain´s presence. There is not much written about why all of the Antagonist’s sought to break from their formidable master, only that they did, and always with tragic consequences. In his pursuit to over throw Cain´s influence upon his mind, the Antagonist Merovech desperately sought a shortcut to godhood. As a master shapeshifter, he believed that he could simply shapeshift into a demi-god, and with the power of that temporary transformation, find a way to make it permanent. His shapeshift experiments utilized the forms and structures of outer powers, of the gods that walk the corridors between dimensions. From his journals it appears that access to more conventional deities was prevented by what is called the Tonal of earth. The result of these obscure transformations was monstrous, a constantly dying and regenerating morass of cells and biological structures,exhaling a lethal and blinding gas. The result was monstrous, a constantly dying and regenerating morass of cells and biological structures, exhaling a lethal and blinding gas. This transformation would have been permanent without the assistance of his cohort Bekira. What price she exacted to expend her personal energies to separate his consciousness from the form is not known, suspect it was high.
N
ow the Abomination of Merovech continues to exist, serving at the whim of the Antagonists. It is immune to the more subtle internal magicks, and is almost impossible to kill. It does however travel along the weave, and thus the patterns that support its existence can be unraveled, by attacking its Harmony. The safest way to deal with this creature is to simply write it out of existence, if one has access to the necessary Nam´Shubs.
I
ts tactics are crude and effective, it strikes out almost at random with its multitude of spikes, tentacles, claws and its sheer bulk. It constantly exhales a gas that causes the target´s nervous system to seize up.
47
Illus: Douzen
Resistance 1
Abomination of Merovech
1 +1
3
3
The last being to attack it
+2
+2
Immune to Mind, Soul, and Bio Curses All attacks have Shatter 1
Draw Bag: 3
Storm Gathering
Earth Tremor
1
1
Cannot be reduced to less than 1 except by discord events Gains 1(+1)
1
Gains 2(+1)
Area Forces Dmg equal to , Pierce 2
every Maintenance Phase
Bag Reset: 3
chips drawn
Air Impact
Forces Dmg equal to
Diseased Touch
Bio, Subtle, Dmg 2, Disrupt
48
Master, Entity
Arcane Devourer From a bluff above the woods a solitary figure watched and waited. Below him, the exhausted Magi fled from the dark monster. The Devourer was close. They could feel its pull in their minds, and with ragged breath they ran blindly into the darkening woods. The figure above them watched as the strobing flashes of light began - The Devourer had started the regathering. Closing his eyes he whispered, “Knowledge should be granted, never stolen.” A voice came from the shadows behind him, “Too much knowledge and too little sense is a dangerous combination. But I will admit that the light show does keep one briefly entertained.” The Keeper turned as the Shadow Scribe emerged. “Truly an impressive thing, is it not?” Said the Shadow, “Weren’t these creatures initially of your design, Dreamcrafter?” “This being was born of nightmares, I did less to design them than to bring them into reality. Had I known that they would be used like this... I do what I can to ease their suffering but I cannot imagine a worse death than to have the memories ripped from one’s mind.” “Yet you seem to have imagined exactly that. Tell me, why do I not hear them scream?” Asked the Shadow. “They do,” replied the Keeper, “They cry out in the ancient tongue and the Devourer feeds deeply on their words.” Soon the bright lights faded into shallow sparks and with a silent fury the darkness returned. “Do not concern yourself with their fates,” the Shadow said. “Knowledge must be safeguarded from those with the Will, but not the understanding...” 49
Illus: Greg Krywusha
Resistance 2
, 1
Arcane Devourer
1
2
+1
10
Player with least amount of banished spells
Each time a spell is Banished for whatever reason, the Devourer gains its fluency level in Chip Bag: 4
12
2
2
1(+1)
*
Each time a spell targeting the Devourer is discarded, it is banished instead Bag Reset: 3
and 1
chips drawn
Devour Reality
Unleashing Quantum, Area, Subtle, Dmg 3
12
Area, Unblockable, All Magi roll 2 dice, if the amount is less than their banished cards, they are obliterated.
Wave of Loss Mind, Area, Banish 3 spells from Codex
Touch of Forgetting Mind, Banish 2 spells from Codex
Spell Chart Devour Magick: Draw again: if Yellow or Green: 3 , Unblockable, Banish a random spell targeting Encounter. Focus duration spells banished this way burn the controllers Focus. If no spell is targeting the Encounter it randomly devours a non-offensive spell. If there are no active spells, then there is no effect and noâ&#x20AC;&#x2030; â&#x20AC;&#x2030;cost.
3
Arcane Storm Free Action, Roll on Spell Chart
1-2
Mind, Curse: Pacified, 2 Duration (Voids Enraged)
3-5
Mind, Area, Subtle, Disrupt Disrupted Focus is Burned
6-7
Encounter +1
8-9
Mind, Curse: Enraged, 2 Duration (Voids Pacified)
0
Encounter +8
50