Drawing Power

For each connection, a character starts with a single level. This limits them to drawing a single point of energy from that source. When characters improve their connection to the world around them, they may gain the first level in a new connection or may gain an extra level in one of their existing connections and thus improve their ability to draw energy from that source. A character may purchase up to three levels in any connection type. When a character draws energy from a source, they are still limited by the number of conduit paths they open.

Juliana is a veteran mystic with 7 connection, 4 conduit, and 3 capacity. Her connections include three levels to her community, two levels to the belief of others, a level to her bonded familiar, and a level to words. There are a number of ways she can completely open her conduit potential; one of which might occur if she utters an incantation (words 1) when she sees trouble heading to a group of people she identifies with (community 3), another option might occurs when she threads powerful phrases (words 1) into her speeches that motivate others around her (belief of others 2) while in the presence of her familiar (familiar 1). If she doesn’t see injustice that needs to be addressed, or doesn’t have others to believe in her, she might not be able to open her conduits to the mystic world. Sometimes her player thinks it might be worthwhile to buy a few more different types of connection to make sure she has access to energy in a wider assortment of situations.

Alchemy

Those who use the Alchemy connection may draw energy from arcane ingredients mixed according to the right recipes, and using the right procedures. This connection requires access to a stocked alchemical laboratory; where the actions to draw the power consume laboratory supplies appropriate to the effect being invoked. Sacrifices may further reduce supplies, or increase the time necessary to work the effect.

Prerequisite Ability: Formulate (Mental)

1 energy: 1 ingredient used, and a few minutes

2 energy: 2 ingredients used, and a few hours

3 energy: 3 ingredients used, and a day or longer

Examples might include: brewing craft beer, artisanal soap, metal forging, or using a scientific laboratory.

Belief of Others

A character with a connection drawing on the Belief of Others uses the latent creative energy inherent in all sentient beings, using their social skills and leadership to focus those beliefs toward what they hope to achieve. This connection requires a number of other believers; where a series of social actions are used to rally the believers and focus their minds. Sacrifices may cause believers to have a crisis of faith, or increase the time required to work the effect.

Prerequisite Ability: Lead (Social)

1 energy: Dozens of people

2 energy: Hundreds of people

3 energy: Thousands of people

Examples might include: religious ceremonies, rock concerts, or political rallies.

Celestial Alignment

A character with the Celestial Alignment connection has attuned their though patterns to the clockwork precision of the stars, planets, moons and comets. This connection requires an almanac, journal, or computer program modelling the movement of the skies, along with how these might affect the energies that might be diverted into mystical effect. Then a series of mental actions determine the right time for the effect. Sacrifices may involve not getting the timing right, and unexpected side effects occurring.

Prerequisite Ability: Analyse (Mental)

1 energy: Events occurring daily (such as midnight, midday, dawn or dusk)

2 energy: Events occurring monthly (such as new moons or full moons)

3 energy: Events occurring annually (or less often, such as eclipses, solstices, or equinoxes)

Some events that happen now more than once a century may produce more

Examples might include: Mayan calendar, Chinese lunar calendar, or Pagan sabbaths

Community

This is the fundamental connection that all mystics in the game start with, and the energy this connection provides may only be used when directly confronting a problem that is causing problems with the community the character belongs to. It requires a connection to the people around the mystic and seeing them in situations that need intervention or correction. Sacrifices may involve deeper problems that cannot be instantly fixed, or causing more problems in the unfolding situation.

Prerequisite Ability: Empathise (Paranormal)

1 energy: You, or a person you share a pair of traits with, are directly suffering due to the situation

2 energy: a group of people (dozens) you share a pair of traits with are directly suffering due to the current situation

3 energy: an entire community (hundreds) you share a pair of traits with are directly suffering due to the current situation  

Examples here are as numerous as the mystics themselves, any group the character identifies with, or shares a pair of traits with, could be the focus of this community connection. If a character only shares a single trait with a person (or people) they see in jeopardy, they may still gain energy from the issue, but only half as much as they would normally.

Darkness

If the light provides clarity, then darkness provides uncertainty, it brings the dangers of the unseen world a little bit closer. A character with the darkness connection, channels this uncertainty into the world, requiring obvious shade or lack of light to do so; actions associated with this connection involve finding location where this is the case. Sacrifices involve problems due to being unable to see or sense the outside world, or needing to find new shadows because the current darkness has been drained of its potential.

Prerequisite Ability: Hide (Mental)

1 energy: Dim lighting (causing action penalties)

2 energy: Pitch darkness (causing double penalties)

3 energy: Complete sensory deprivation (preventing any non-magical actions occurring)

Examples might include: being in a cave, midnight, a closed room, sensory deprivation tanks, or fully enclosed latex bondage gear.

Desecration

Those who use desecration as a connection deliberately step further away from society by breaking the taboos and the laws that hold the community together. This requires deliberate defacing or vandalism of a specific item, or breaking a societal rule; the actions cause this violation may vary, but the social. Sacrifices may leave evidence for those who revere the item, or may cause a loss of social status.

Prerequisite Ability: Deal (Social)

1 energy: Defacing something or engaging in a taboo that will offend dozens of people (and is frowned upon)

2 energy: Defacing something or engaging in a taboo that will offend hundreds or thousands of people (and is illegal)

3 energy: Defacing something or engaging in a taboo that will offend millions (and might be sacrilegious/treasonous)

Examples might include: tattooing, scarification, graffiti, heresy, pornography, or snuff movies.

(This has been edited since the first time it was posted, and now includes the prerequisite abilities)