Resonance

I've divided the various verb words in the magic system into the six elements that comprise much of the cosmology in the various games I've developed over the years. The idea is fairly kaballistic, with a light at the centre of creation, and darkness toward the edges. At the interface between light and darkness is a mateaphysical cube. 

For simplicity, let's say...

North = Water

South = Fire

East = Air

West = Earth

Top = Wood

Bottom = Metal

Western mystical traditions look at the cube from the top down, they see a square bounded by air, earth, fire, water...at the centre, they see a fusion of life and mystical essence. 

Eastern traditions look at the cube from the east, they see a square bounded by fire, water, wood, and metal... at the centre, they see a balancing force of earth, and don't really see the air as a separate element at all. 

The hybrid of these cosmologies is depicted by the cube. It's not perfect, but it adds a depth not present in the flat versions of the arcana. Where possible I've tried to tie the types of magics into the traditional eastern and western elemental and cosmological correspondences. 

I haven't included elemental forces for light and darkness, within and without the cube, this isn't a game about angels and demons, kami and oni, daeva and asura, gods and titans... its a game about those caught in the middle, forced to make their own difficult choices.

Once I added those elemental correspondences to the words, I started thinking about one of the interesting ideas added into the third edition of Mage (and refined further in M20). That idea was resonance, where a character starts to reflect the type of magic they most commonly associate with. 

(Note that I've got Wood and Metal, rather than the Light and Dark depicted in this image)

Since this is based on the SNAFU game engine, every action has potential success conditions and potential sacrifice conditions. Instead of the Paradox backlash in Mage, the sacrifice conditions in this game might be additional complications that need to be overcome in the story, they might be specific spell related effects (as defined by the words that comprise the effect), or they might be elemental corruptions of the body and soul. These effects may be chosen by the player, or by the GM, depending on what is most interesting for the game's ongoing narrative. Some spells might awaken these corruptions in a mystic.     

Air – Sylph

Claustrophobic – When in an enclosed space, you suffer an additional sacrifice on any actions

Flighty – You get quickly distracted and may not accumulate successes over multiple actions

Echoes of Air – Your skin takes on a pale pallid appearance, or your eyes crackle with lightning.

Earth – Gnome

Agoraphobic – When in an open space, you suffer an additional sacrifice on any actions

Slow – Your actions are resolved as though your attribute die result was 2 points lower

Echoes of Earth – Your skin takes on a dirty and dusty appearance, or your eyes become dull grey.

Fire – Salamander

Carefree – You must always allocate your highest die to your success category

Impulsive – You must ask another player what your character does, if you act against this you suffer an additional sacrifice on this action.

Echoes of Fire – Your skin takes on a glowing sunburnt hue, or your eyes glow red.

Metal – Imp

Curse of Wood – Successful damage from weapons of wood inflict an extra level of damage against you.

Loner – You may not accept assistance from other characters in any task

Echoes of Metal – Your skin takes on a decaying and gaunt appearance, or your eyes become black voids.

Water – Nymph

Careful – You must always allocate your highest die to the sacrifice category

Go with the flow – You may only perform actions asked of you by others, or assist in tasks

Echoes of Water – Your skin drenches in sweat or appears bloated, or your eyes constantly water.

Wood – Dryad

Curse of Metal – Successful damage from weapons of iron inflict an extra level of damage against you.

Primal – You are unable to use complex technology or tools

Echoes of Wood – Your skin burst with unnaturally vibrant radiance, or your eyes become glisten like glowing amber.