INTRODUCHON

 

He became a guide, at peace and occupied with classrooms. He came forward and uttered the word as a teacher. The selfappointed wise people came up to him, testing him, but he refuted them, for they were empty; and they despised him, for they were not truly intelligent.

— The Gospel of Truth, 11.17

 

You may have heard this phrase before: hedge magicians. Admit it; if you play Mage, you have probably spit that phrase out before: hedge magicians.

Perhaps you overlook them as the “willworkers” do. Perhaps you consider them “lesser talents,” purveyors of parlor tricks enraptured with their own petty goals and completely oblivious to the Ascension War and its consequences. What good's a hedge magician when you could be a True Mage with all reality at your fingertips?

True, hedge magicians don't barrle for Ascension, and their concepts of enlightenment and Awakening may be provincial compared to the concepts bandied about by mysticks and mages. Mythology isn't their ammunition; reality isn'ttheir playground. Most sorcerers have never even heard of the Ascension War or the Traditions or the Technocracy (isn't that a band?). They're less concemned with metaphysics than with personal growth and achievement. Unlike the Crafts, they did not decline membership in the Traditions or the Order of Reason: They were simply overlooked.

 Evennow, they remain overlooked. You could say they're screwed from both ends, stuck with reality as it has been defined by the consensus, but without the willworking powets of True Mages. Does this stop them? No.

Though un-Awakened in the meraphysical sense, these talented folks are freer for their lack of  “enlightenment.” While they might belong to magical societies (as opposed to the magickal factions of Mage), these sorcerers walk a personal Path. Paradox is no threat to them because they offer no threat to the “established order.” The static arts they pursue lightly stir reality's surface; they don't slap reality around like a red-headed stepchild or lure it like a whore using false promises or tricks to disguise her true intentions. So-called hedge wizards (who do not ever refer to themselves with such flippant titles) trear reality like a temperamental lover, like a partner with wonderful gifts to give to the paramour with enough wisdom and common sense. The key to such arts is knowledge, and hedge magicians love to learn.

 MAGE, MAGICIAN, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

 Sorcerers, shamans, magicians, witches, call them what you will. Workers of magic — and magick — go by a thousand titles, none of which reflect the difference between an Awakened mage and a “static” magician. The words themselves offer no real distinction because, in story terms, there are no real differences.

 There's a vital roleplaying point to be made here: The denizens of the World of Darkness do not walk around with signson their chests. They do notannounce “Hey! Pma True Mage!” or “Hey! I'm a hedge wizard!” To the characters in our imaginary world, magic is magic. The Awakened Ones may quibble over the line between magic and magick, bur most folks don't know the difference and couldn't care less.

 The only real lines between the two are one: metaphysical and two: mechanical. The first line reflects the phenomenal change thar comes with Awakening, a change that allows a person torework reality at its base level to create a new reality. Some people can; some people can't. The second line reflects the game systems involved. Awakened magick allows a character to employ the Spheres, while un-Awakened magic limits her to the more conventional Paths. The first flows through a transformation. The second comes through study and mastery. The first option is more powerful, but carries the weight of Paradox and epic conflict; the second requires more determination and discipline, but grants a freer road.

 For clarity's sake, we'll call mages True Mages when we mention them at all. Let's use “magician,” “wizard,” or “sorcerer” as general terms and simply realize that allmagic(k) workers go by similar names.

 (Granted the word sorcerer — one who employs black magic and evil spirits — carries more sinister overtones than either magician — one who purports to control events by evoking the supernatural — or wizard — a skillful, wise or clever person. Given the practices some magicians follow and the dark mystique attached to magic as a whole, however, any of those terms is appropriate.) So, call hedge wizards what you will.

 Who are they and what can they do? What's the difference between a magician and a mage?

* Hedge magic is limited. Magicians cannot use the Spheres of magick, but follow the more limited and defined magical Paths — Paths created by millennia of use. Such arts follow defined laws, but conform to ancient folklore and work in more “believable” ways than the wild, unpredictable Arts of magick. Consider such Paths “loopholes” in reality. A skilled magician can exploit them, but cannot reweave reality to suit his tastes.

 * These Paths arenotsubjecrto Paradox. While the greater levelsofmagicalachievementallow sorcerersto perform miracles, those miracles are firmly based in a system of rituals. Like vampire Disciplines or werewolf Gifts, these powers function in one way, achieve one goal and achieve it in a set pattem. Since the sorcerer's actions “fit in” with established reality, they don't “splatter” the way True Magicks do.

 * Magicians do not participate in the Ascension War. They have their own interests, ideologies and goals, and couldn't care less about a bunch of psychopaths claiming to speak for Creation. Battles for reality are too abstract for sorcerers; they live in reality, thank-you very much, and prefer to keep their own backyards clean. Most magicians haven't even heard of this “Ascension War”; the True Mages, for their part, consider magicians as deluded peasants in the line of fire (if and when they notice them at all).

 * Most sorcerers have a cultural identity. Magicians do not exist in a vacuum; they spring from within some mortal society and embody certain beliefs and principles from their home cultures. Their magic isa reflection of the local beliefs, and their ideologies focus on the people they know.

 * Like most human beings, sorcerers often form societies of their own, and these societies have unique stories, agendas and beliefs. Initiation, teaching and control are important aspects ofa magician's life. Few people study or perfect a Path on their own.

 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

 Mage is not about power gaming; ironically, though, its characters can become arguably the most powerful beings in existence. Compared to the Creation-twisting Sphere masters, hedge wizards look like kittens in a den of lions.

 So why bother playing one?

 For one thing, magicians are simpler to use, especially in a crossover chronicle, than Awakened mages. Unlike the complex Sphere variations, a sorcerer's Path rituals are more predictable, more in line with Thaumaturgy powers, Giftsor  cantrips. A hedge magician won't stomp her lupine and vampiric comrades into the dirt — not easily, anyway. 

The magician also walks a more challenging road. Without the grand powers at a True Mage's disposal, a magician  must compensate with her own cleverness, witand common sense, The sorcerer's world is a shadowed room, filled with half-finished poetry, ancient riddles and devastating traps. Navigating this minefield is more hazardous — but more rewarding — when you don't have the awesome resources that a True Mage commands.

Some Ascension factions (especially the Hermetic Order) groom their perspective recruits by teaching them hedge magic first (see Order of Hermes, page 58). Other mages collect their consors from among “fellow travelers” in the mysterious occult world (see Ascension's Right Hand). These people occasionally advance to another level. A hedge magician needs not remain un-Awakened; she could, with the right choices, “graduate” to the higher levels of mystic achievement — the Arts of the True Mage.

Then there's Mage: The Ascension's sheer power level. While the game's metaphysics, concepts and ideals come from real magic theory, some of the upper-level Sphere powers get pretty outrageous. Path magic is more “realistic” than the fantastic Arts employed by True Mages. Inan “easy to swallow” chronicle (especially a “hunters” game like the ones portrayed in The Hunters Hunted, Inguisition, Halls of the Arcanum, The Quick and the Dead and Project Twilight), a hedge magician makes a more appropriate player character than an Awakened mage.

And let's be honest: Sometimes you just don't want to battle for reality. Sometimes it's fun just to have a character who understands some of the mysteries of the cosmos but walks without the baggage of the larger Ascension factions. Sometimes it's nice to return to the days when Creation was a mystery, a fascinating puzle, not a battleground.

World of Darkness: Sorcerer isn't really a Mage book; rather, it's a general-purpose look at those magie-workers who stand “between” the True Mage and the Sleepers around him. This book provides source material, rules systems, secret societies and character options for these elusive hedge magicians. With a few minor adjustments, however, it can also be an ideal resource for Awakened Orphans and solitary practitioners (see Mage, pages 55-56). After all, any mystical group (see this book's Chapter Two) can have Awakened members, and when you get right down to it, the challenges of the mystic road are pretty much the same whether you're Awakened or not.

So what can you expect from this book?

* Chapter One: The Way of the Sorcerer begins a discussion of the philosophy of magic as viewed by sorcerers themselves. You'll note some parallels between the ways of hedge wizards and their Awakened counterparts — their roads are not dissimilar. This is not a discussion of hedge magic vs. True Magick — it's is a look down any sorcerer's  road.

 * Chapter Two: The Faces of Sorcery offers an introduction to five major societiesand a handful of less-prominent — groups. “Major” is relative — just because they're important today doesn't mean they'll remain so. These societies offer jumping-off places for dozens of new stories and potential  origins and affiliations for hundreds of new characters. 

 * Chapter Three: Character Creation shows you how to create magician player characters. While some main rulebook — Mage, Vampire, whatever — is still essential to the process, this chapter includes appropriate Merits, Flaws, Backgrounds, crossover notes and a few special talents.

* Chapter Four: The Paths presents hedge magic itself. It covers the various magical Paths, the things they do and the forms they take. While some of this material comes from Ascension's Right Hand, several new Paths have been added and the systems have been slightly updated. 

* Chapter Five: Solitary Templates presents a variety of lone magicians. With some slight adjustment, these characters work equally well as templates for Awakened Orphans. 

 * Finally, the Appendix offers several “Sorcerers of Repute,” a handful of magical relics and a bibliography of  insnirational works.

 Enjoy!

 LEGAL DISCLAIMER Necessitated by Stupid PEOPLE

 Take a deep breath and repeat after me:

“I am not a wizard. I am not a vampire. I do not drink blood, worship Satan, or kill animals or people.”

 Its that all clear, clear as in “crystal”? As in "Off course not!"? As in “Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200, do not go on Rikki Lake and brag about drinking blood?” Cool. Let's proceed as if this kind of nonsense was unnecessary.

If it's not clean, throw this book and all others like in the nearest garbage can and go seek mental help. Don't make your illness other peoples problem. 

Thank You