We go over the ten Arcana in pairs per Path, discussing what each governs and what they can do in theory.

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The power available to Mages primarily comes in the ability to cast spells. Commanding the ten sources of Truth known as Arcana is the secret to this power. Arcana which allow mages to inspect, alter, create, and destroy, any aspect of the Fallen World and even the souls contained within.

The five Gross Arcana affect the physical reality of the Fallen World: Time, Space, Matter, Forces, and Life. The Gross Arcana are complemented by five Subtle Arcana, each of which encompasses some aspect of souls: Fate, Mind, Death, Prime, and Spirit.

We talk more in-depth about the Abyss and its relationship with the Fallen World.

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The Lie is not a passive prison, deployed once and forgotten. It is actively perpetuated by the Abyss in a manner unknown to any Mage, possibly even the Exarchs themselves. Caused by the Abyss, Sleepers are cursed to be faced with unimaginable horror any time they directly witness a Supernal Truth or Abyssal phenomenon. Mages call this curse Quiescence. It prevents sleepers from remembering anything which triggers it, regardless how memorable it would seem to be. Every Sleeper carries a piece of the Abyss in their soul. When one Awakens, the Abyss is banished from their soul, freeing them from the curse of Quiescence. But that's just the beginning of Abyssal trouble for the Mage.

The Abyss separates the Fallen World from the Supernal; every spell the Mage casts must reach through this barrier for the Supernal power that makes their imagination True. This reaching risks a Paradox if the Mage is not careful with their spellcasting, including any time a Sleeper is around to witness their magic. A responsible Mage will avoid Paradox where they can or deal with it where they can't, either by attempting to contain the Paradox within their own soul, risking harm to themselves, or, when a Paradox is too great to contain, by releasing it into the Fallen World as yet another problem to solve. The stranglehold of the Abyss is unavoidable in the Fallen World.

We talk about the factions a Mage is likely to encounter after their Awakening. The four Orders in the Atlantean Diamond plus the Free Council, comprising the Atlantean Pentacle, as well as the Seers of the Throne.

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Sometimes a Mage needs help from other Mages, to deal with a threat they've never encountered before; to cast a spell grander than what they could perform on their own; or simply to ask questions. When you're looking for allies as a Mage, you will likely consider approaching the Atlantean Diamond, the Free Council, or both. The last option for most Mages would be the Seers of the Throne.

Made up of the four Atlantean Orders, the Atlantean Diamond is the stop for most Mages. The Adamantine Arrow are Mages known for their bravery and heroism. Arrows are honorable and care deeply about vows, oaths, and duty. The Guardians of the Veil are a secretive religion which treats magic as a responsibility. Guardians police the other orders for corruption and infiltration. The Mysterium seek lost and hidden knowledge. They store their treasures in Athenaeums, museums and archives where they can be studied and protected. Finally, the Silver Ladder, an organization of Mages who wish to Awaken as many Sleepers as possible. They are responsible for organizing Consiliums and managing the Lex Magica.

If a Mage does not like the ideals espoused by any of the Atlantean Orders, they may prefer the Free Council instead. Boasting a larger membership count than any of the other orders, and mostly leaving its members to themselves, any Mage can find a home in the Free Council. The Diamond tends to think of the Free Council as a fifth Order, referring to the five as the Atlantean Pentacle. Together, the Pentacle Orders govern local areas as a Consilium, represented by diplomatic agents.

Finally, the Seers of the Throne, though not an Order for most players in most games. The Seers worship the Exarchs and seek to maintain their dominion over the Fallen World by hindering the Pentacle. A player-character Mage will typically have some Status with one of the Orders in the Pentacle.

This episode, we discuss the different Paths a Mage might take during their Awakening: what they are, how they differ, and the unique qualities of each.

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Each Mage walks one of five Paths. This is not a metaphor, but a description of the shared experience they have during Awakening, which engenders a shared magical way of thinking. A mage's Path determines the Arcana which the Mage has predilections for. Each Path Rules over two Arcana: a Gross Arcanum, which controls physical reality; and a Subtle Arcanum that controls a spiritual reality. Each Path is also Inferior with one Arcanum.

First, Acanthus: Enchanters and Witches. Ruling Time and Fate, Acanthus see reality as a movie and themselves as the writers and directors. They are Inferior with Forces.

Next, Mastigos: Warlocks and Psychonauts. Ruling Space and Mind, Mastigos see reality as chains that bind individuals to an identity. These chains are wielded to control reality like a marionette. They are Inferior with Matter.

Moros: Alchemists and Necromancers. Ruling Matter and Death, Moros see reality as a constant cycle of endings, transformation, and transcendence; something to be built, destroyed, and rebuilt; again and again, in pursuit of perfection. They are Inferior with Spirit.

Obrimos: Thaumaturges and Theurgists. Ruling Forces and Prime, Obrimos see reality as a perfect divine whole; the gods' operating system; and they have read the handbook and been given the keys. They are Inferior with Death.

Thyrsus: Ecstatics and Shamans. Ruling Life and Spirit, Thyrsus see reality as a living breathing song, a harmony built by two worlds: the physical and the shadow. They walk between worlds and sing their own song as both shepherd and wolf. They are Inferior with Mind.

We introduce some of the concepts discussed in the Mage: the Awakening core rulebook and give our thoughts on them.

(Sorry for the abrupt ending! You might be able to hear the footsteps of the reason it had to be cut short near the end. Unfortunately, our recording studio is not secure to a determined toddler.)

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Mage: the Awakening is a tabletop RPG set in our modern world, but where the supernatural influences every aspect of life from the shadows. Sometimes, a Sleeper gets a glimpse beyond the Fallen World and Awakens, becoming a Mage. During this Awakening, they come to see that the world is a Lie, a prison constructed by a cabal of Ascended Mages called the Exarchs to maintain their dominion over the source of magic: the Supernal Realm. The walls of the prison are known as the Abyss, a place of false reality where creatures of horror reside.

A Mage has the ability to alter the Lie with something True from their own imagination: Magic. Turn people into frogs, become invisible, teleport, stop time, summon lightning, or even speak with the voice of God. The possibilities are endless.

There was a Time Before the Fallen World; some Mages call it Atlantis. Those who do have banded together to form the Atlantean Diamond, four Orders whose sacred mission is to free mankind from the Exarchs' control. The Diamond, along with their enemy-of-my-enemy allies, the Free Council, wage a secret war against the Seers of the Throne, a cult of Mages who worship the Exarchs.