On today’s show Adam Simpson talks about Paradox in Mage. Adam discusses why magick has limitations; playing Mage without Paradox; X/1999 manga; player knowledge versus character knowledge; how to get rid of Paradox; manifestations of Paradox; Paradox Spirits; Paradox Realms; the Quiet; Domino Effect; The Sorcerers Crusade; the Scourge; Wild Paradox versus Mundane Paradox; examples of Paradox; Marauders.
On today’s show author Karin Tidbeck joins us to talk about Mage the Ascension: Refuge, a text-based interactive game for iOS and Android with a rich scenario full of plot twists, and the action takes place in a world at the dawn of a political revolution. We discuss how the game was developed; how she got involved with role playing games; Mutant; Lone Wolf; the challenges of writing a Choose Your Own Adventure-type of game; Twine; the difficulties of writing a game based on an intellectual property; Syrian refugees in Norway; accusations of political correctness; pan sexuality and polyamory; the sex magick controversy; LARPs; her books Amatka and Jagganath; the audio featured in Mage the Ascension: Refuge; what she found appealing in Mage: the Ascension; the difficulty of striking a balance in exploring dark themes in the game; freedom of speech versus safety is more important; why she chosen to portray the Technocracy agents holding anti-immigrant beliefs; her views of exploring yourself through role playing games; capturing dialogue; other intellectual properties she would like to write for; her latest novel, which has been acquired by Pantheon.
Our guest on today’s show is Chris Zac, host of the excellent Twin Cities by Night and we talk about plot hooks you can use in your Mage Chronicles. We discuss the White Wolf RPGs Game Play and Media Facebook Group he moderates; Matthew Dawkins, The Gentleman Gamer; how he got into playing role playing games; Brazilian jiu-jitsu; Vampire: The Masquerade and Vampire: The Requiem; The Brian Diaries and The Brian Bookclub; internal monologues; characters embracing the consequences of their actions; using horror judiciously; Twin Cities by Night, Ultimate Evil and Juarez on Fire Chronicle; character creation; what to do when your Chronicle goes off the rails; what makes a good plot hook; their Victorian Age: Vampire Chronicle; magic as a horror device; H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Rats in the Walls;” Mage plot hooks; Mage 20; Last Podcast on the Left; Jim Jones; Rasputin; the influences of Stephen King, Clive Barker and Aleister Crowley; the sources he uses to develop his plot hooks; The Ultimate Evil: An Investigation into America’s Most Dangerous Satanic Cult and Aleister Crowley: Magick, Rock and Roll, and the Wickedest Man in the World; drink cold brew!
Adam Simpson discusses themes in Mage: The Ascension and how to use them in your games; Stewart Wieck‘s theme of Mage’s bringing change to society; Woodstock; Pi-hole; the Digital Web; Satyros Brucato’s theme of empowerment in Mage; HIT Marks; four themes in Mage: magic isn’t something you do but something you’re part of, needing to work with others who are different from yourself, transcending your limitations, and overcoming pride and self-centeredness to reach something greater than yourself; introdcuitng mystric weirdness into a Mage’s life after they have Awakened; giving players information they must keep secret from fellow Cabal members; riddles posed by AIs; aiding a security guard; let us know what’s stopping you from running a Mage Chronicle.
On today’s show were joined by Jason Louv, who is a real life magician and author. Jason’s most recent book is John Dee and the Empire of Angels: Enochian Magick and the Occult Roots of the Modern World. We discuss his first book, Generation Hex; Jason’s introduction to Mage: The Ascension; Mage artist Leif Jones; what is Magick; the relationship between Magick and postmodernism; clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson; the Frankfurt School; Enochian magic; John Dee and Edward Kelley; Francis Fukuyama and the end of history; President Trump’s use of Magick; Jason’s Ultraculture podcast; Jason’s School for Magick, Magick.me.
On today’s show we launch a new segment, Mage Chronicles, in which we talk to Storytellers and players about what made their Chronicle unique. We’re joined by Mage co-creator Satyros Brucato and Walking Away from Arcadia podcast co-host Victor Joseph Kinzer to discuss his Chronicle set in Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade.
On today’s show we talk with Lee Webb about the perils of Paradox: every modern-day fantasy story has to confront a fundamental question—if magic is real where has it been hiding all this time? The answer to that question in Mage is Paradox.