The Spheres
Magick is divided into nine spheres, or different types of magical effects. This is actually a classification used primarily by the Order of Hermes, but nearly all mages break magick down into essentially the same nine groups, even if they use different words to describe them. Any magician can learn any sphere, but each Tradition has one sphere that it particularly excels in. Spheres are often combined to yield still greater effects- such as creating a flame out of nowhere and making it dance, which would be a combination of the Prime and Forces sphere. (Prime to create the flame, Forces to control it.)
Spheres Cheat Sheet
Correspondence
The knowledge of spatial effects and travel. A mage skilled in Correspondence can increase or decrease distances or volumes of space and even teleport himself or other objects short distances. A master of this skill can even co-locate himself, allowing him to literally be in two places at once. Virtual Adepts, with their obsession with instantaneous communication, are often highly skilled in Correspondence.
Paco’s head spun as he stepped out of the cramped, hot interior of the club. Damn, he thought, whatever it was I drank in there, I want another. He stumbled down the street, trying to remember which way was home. Suddenly, a grubby man stepped out of an alleyway to his right and pointed a snub-nosed .38 revolver at him.
“Okay, man, you know the drill. Give me your cash quietly and everything will be cool.”
Paco grinned dizzily at the mugger and concentrated. “Sorry, pal, not tonight.” He casually walked past his assailant and continued his haphazard progress down the street. A moment later he heard the snick of a hammer falling on an empty cylinder, and then rapid footsteps as the mugger ran off in the other direction. Continuing his shuffle down the street, Paco reached into his jacket pocket and took out six .38 caliber bullets, dropped them in a trash bin, and burst into hysterical laughter.
Entropy
The understanding of fate, death, and the eventual breakdown of all things. Entropy has a large number of subtle uses, such affecting chance outcomes or foretelling the future… and some not-so-subtle uses, such as causing spontaneous decay. The Euthanatos are the undisputed masters of Entropy.
The handsome and outgoing young man had been winning all night, and by now he had drawn quite a crowd. Currently seated at the blackjack table, he had a jack and a nine showing, and $25,000 riding. He took a deep breath, paused a moment for effect, and shouted, “Hit me!”
A murmur of disapproval ran through the crowd as the dealer reached for the next card. One onlooker said to the quietly intent girl standing next to him, “Hitting on a nineteen? He’s friggin’ nuts.”
“Actually,” muttered the young woman, as she expertly manipulated a pocket-sized calculator, “his odds of drawing a two are… eight to three, in favor.”
“How do you kn…” began the onlooker, but his words were drowned out by the crowd’s exuberant roar as the dealer turned over the two of diamonds.
Forces
Exactly what it sounds like, this is the ability to perceive and manipulate any number of natural forces, including gravity, fire, and electricity. The Order of Hermes’ affinity for Forces magick- and particularly its martial aspects- has contributed to their long hegemony in the Traditions.
The biting December wind blasted the group of hikers as they trudged up the winding trail, seeming to seek out gaps in clothing and gnaw its way inward. “Hiking the Rockies in winter,” muttered one camper. “I must have been smoking crack.”
Toward the tail end of the group, however, Nicholas was grinning like a maniac, savoring the wintry natural beauty spread out all around him. And the cold didn’t bother him- staying warm required a simple matter of concentrating and retaining all the heat energy around his body, no more.
Life
This potent sphere, the favorite of the Verbena, embodies the understanding of the fundamental forces of life itself. A mage skilled in Life magick can alter her looks, shape shift into an animal, heal with a touch, and kill with a word.
It was after seven and the rush of businessmen going home was long over. The only people at the bus stop were a boy in his early teens; sitting on the curb and watching cars go by.
A distant drone grew to a roar as a red sports car drew near and flew past- grinding against the curb and slamming into the young boy as it flew past. The teen was knocked meters across the pavement and rolled bonelessly to a stop. The driver didn’t even slow down as he sped off into the evening.
A motherly young woman in jeans and a t-shirt, perhaps 20 years old, ran to the scene of the accident from half a block down. She dropped her backpack, knelt by the boy and touched his forehead, sensed his Pattern. She did not know the boy, but she could feel his soul preparing to leave its broken vessel.
No, stay, she bade his spirit, as she checked the empty evening streets and made sure there were none watching. Do not go yet; this is not your time. She reached into her backpack and pulled out an athame, then used the ceremonial knife to slit the tips of the middle and ring fingers on her right hand. She carefully dripped her blood on the boy’s forehead, mixing it with his own, as she silently fed her energy to the battered body, urging it to repair itself. Stay in this body, do not leave. She felt the soul sliding back into its accustomed place. Yes. Stay here. Death is not yet.
Suddenly, the boy’s back arched and he screamed shrilly. His eyes half-opened and regarded her with blurry incomprehension. Smiling at him, and said firmly, “Everything is okay. You’re going to make it.” She reached into her purse, withdrew a cell phone, and dialed 911.
Matter
Simply put, this is the sphere affecting material items in the physical world. (This does not affect living materials, however, as that is the domain of Life magick.) Its applications range from simply reshaping physical substances to imbuing them with marvelous new properties. The Sons of Ether are especially capable with this sphere.
“It’s exquisite!” crooned the museum director.
“Thank you,” replied Michael coolly.
“And you say it’s made entirely of marble?” asked the director, his eyes drinking in the staggeringly flawless sculpture. It was a magnificent white stallion, carved of stone, but it somehow gave the appearance of being real. One could almost swear one could detect the faint quiver of well-trained equine muscle, or the arrogant flick of the champion’s tail.
“Entirely of marble,” answered Michael imperturbably.
“I must have it,” gushed the art collector. “I have never seen its likeness. Name your price. Would you be insulted if I started by offering you five hundred thousand?”
A trace of a smile finally appeared on Michael’s face. “I’m sorry, but it’s not for sale. I can offer you any number of my other sculptures, but Bucephalus here has… great personal value to me.” Besides, thought Michael, it would be like whoring my body to sell something I made with my magick.
Mind
The ability to master your own thoughts, and then those of others, are found within the Mind sphere. Its applications include telepathic communication, sensing the thoughts of others (or shielding your own), or even influencing the thoughts and memories of another. The Akashic Brotherhood, who are highly skilled in Mind magick, often use this cloud the minds of their enemies, or to achieve a perfect state of mental balance in combat.
“Something wrong, officer?” asked Ralph, sounding as innocent as possible.
“Your car has a rather distinctive profile which matches an APB put out this morning. It was reported stolen from OmniTech Advanced Research.” The cop didn’t sound bored anymore. “Show me your license, registration, and ID. Now.”
“Er, yes, my registration,” mumbled Ralph, “Take a look at this.” He flicked a switch on the little device he had been holding. A blue light on top begin glowing serenely, and a low, soothing tone emanated from the box. “I’m sure you see, officer, that my license and registration are perfectly in order.”
The glowing blue light transfixed the officer’s gaze. “Yes, I see that they are. But this car has been reported stolen. Where did you get it?”
“Officer, I’m driving a 1996 Chrysler LHS, emerald green. This car looks nothing like the car you’re looking for.”
“No, of course not,” snapped the officer. “I’m not stupid, I can see what kind of car you’re driving. It’s a 1996 Chrysler LHS, emerald green.”
Ralph desperately tried not to grin. “I’m a sixty-year-old grandmother from New Hampshire, and I’m on my way to see my new granddaughter in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. You pulled me over because my taillight was out… but I think you can let me off with a warning, can’t you, officer?”
The trooper’s voice grew gentle. “Yes, certainly. Ma’am, your taillight is out, but I think I can let you off with a warning on this one. Just make sure you get it fixed when you arrive in Minnesota.” The cop smiled warmly at Ralph. “Drive safely, ma’am- and give your new grandbaby a kiss for me.”
“I certainly will, officer,” said Ralph, as the state trooper walked back to his patrol cruiser. He thumbed the switch on the little apparatus, and the light and tone faded to nothing. He turned to Laura and winked.
Prime
Prime- also known as Quintessence- is the energy that surrounds and pervades the whole of reality. If the universe were a tapestry (a metaphor often used by mages), Quintessence would be the individual threads. The Sphere of Prime is very potent, as it allows a mage to draw upon this raw power to restore him or fuel his magicks. Any time a mage is creating something new- as opposed to just shaping pre-existing Patterns- he’ll need some ability with Prime. The Celestial Chorus claims that Prime is actually the manifest will of the One True Divine that spark of Creation that dwells in all of us. Whether or not they are correct, their skill in Prime magick is indisputable.
“I can’t believe we’ve actually found it!” Andrew regarded the underground pool with wonder and joy, as if it were a Christmas present given to a seven-year-old. The pool, fed by a nearby hot spring, had thin wisps of steam rising above it, and the tang of minerals was in the air. The renegade Void Engineer did a capering victory dance by the water. “It’s really ours!”
“No,” snapped Laura. “This Node is Gaia’s. It’s too big- and too old- for humans to control. If we ask the Mother for permission, we might be able to draw from it, but don’t you ever start thinking you own it. Bad things happen to people who get greedy with Gaia’s gifts.”
“Okay, okay, let’s relax. Nobody is trying to demean the Goddess. I’m sure Andrew didn’t mean it that way.” Ralph tried to defuse the situation with calm voice and soothing words. “We’re not going to take more than we need- and I’m sure we can find a way to give something back, right?”
The Technocrat nodded vigorously “Right. We’re just going to take a little- and we are working for the benefit of the Earth, aren’t we?”
Laura nodded slowly. “Right.” The witch knelt by the pool, dipped her fingers in. She closed her eyes, and asked Great Mother Gaia for permission to draw energy from this sacred place.
Spirit
This is the knowledge of how to sense the spirit world, communicate with spirits, and even touch the spirit world physically. Masters of this sphere can ask the aid of mighty nature spirits, or even visit the Lands of the Dead while still wearing their living flesh. Dreamspeakers, with their shamanic roots, excel at Spirit magick.
Jason knelt on the ground in front of a carefully drawn circle. Inside the circle was a collection of seemingly random objects- a package of expensive Dominican cigars, a compound bow and quiver of arrows, a high-quality U.S. Army utility knife, a few ears of corn. As the moon rose in the distance ahead of him, Jason began his invocation.
“Grandfather of my grandfather, ancestor of my ancestor, I call out to you now to beg your assistance. Behold, I offer to you gifts to honor your wisdom and strength. I set before you fine tobacco to smoke. I set before you a mighty bow and arrows, to aid you in the hunt. I set before you a sharp knife, that you may always protect yourself and yours. I set before you corn, that you may never know hunger. Grandfather, I ask you to come and accept these gifts.”
A chill wind blew across the hilltop, and a vague form took shape in the moonlight. Standing within the circle was a Native American warrior, proud and brave, although Jason didn’t know if anybody else would have been able to see him. The warrior knelt by the offered tribute for a moment, then stood. His voice whispered thinly on the wind, but still carried the unmistakable tone of command.
“Grandson of my grandson, descendant of my descendant, I gratefully accept these fine gifts. I am proud to look on the youngest scion of my line. Tell me, grandson, what would you ask of me?”
Time
The ability to manipulate or traverse time itself. This arcane sphere is best-used carefully- those who attempt drastic or overt Time effects often create a grave risk to themselves and those around them. Cultists of Ecstasy are particularly adept at this art- perhaps due to their familiarity with meditative states or drugs that seem to alter one’s perception of time.
Paco groaned and rolled over as a ray of sunlight slipped through his curtains and struck his face. His head felt as though angry midgets in steel-toed construction boots were performing The Riverdance on his brain, and his mouth tasted as though he’d been licking old sweaters. That is the absolute last time I drink four of those… those… uh… whatever it was I drank four of last night, he thought miserably.
He managed to peel one gummy eyelid open far enough to catch view of the clock. Bright red digits silently declared that it was 12:48 PM. Paco thought that the clock was somehow managing to convey the impression that Paco should get his lazy ass out of bed and at least pretend to do something productive today.
Speaking of productive… wasn’t there something I was supposed to…?
Then he remembered: Sunday, lunch with Samantha, 1:00 PM. If he were late (again) she’d dump him for sure.
Shit.
He scrambled upright and reached into his bedside drawer and grabbed for the little gold pocket watch he kept with the tools of his trade. The face read 12:51. Paco settled into lotus position, closed his eyes, and hummed a mantra he’d dreamed up one night while tripping on some serious acid. Time is relative, he told himself as he pushed with his willpower. It’s all dependent on the observer. Even that Einstein guy thought so. Come on, white-haired old dude, don’t let me down now. Paco’s mind spun with disorientation spun Paco’s mind as he felt his power at work. He tried to hold on as long as possible… then a wave of vertigo struck him and he tumbled backwards onto the bedclothes.
When clarity returned, Paco had a bad case of the stomach heaves, but he knew he’d succeeded. He looked at the pocket watch still clasped in his hand and grinned. 12:16. Enough time to grab a quick shower, a shave, and maybe grab a bunch of flowers for Samantha on the way to their meeting.