Written by Rhinemann with great thanks to Miriam (joshroby) Robern (they/them) and the Cortex Prime discord for

the input.

The Adept
 Introduction
There was once a time where magic lived on Earth, gods could, albeit rarely, walk among
mortals and ancient monsters and demons that you consider imaginary were real and
plagued people around the world. And at that time there was one place that rose among
many others - Kengir, or as we know it - Sumer.
The Adept is a game of epic fantasy, where you will play as mašmaš (mages, wizards) of the
Tower - individuals so changed and elevated from the commoners you transcend human, as
you changed your very soul to be able to work magic.
Among the ranks of masmas of Kengir, status is everything. Rank affords you resources,
renown, royal favour... and, most importantly, access to the Tower's arcane secrets. Kengir
mages do many things: battle monsters threatening the peasantry, uncover nefarious and
supernatural plots, quell the unruly spirits of the land, even defend the borders against the
lugal's enemies. But all of this is done in service to the goal of gaining rank and outpacing
their rivals in unravelling the secrets of the multiverse.
 The Rules
Mods and Trait Sets used
Mods: Stress (p.39), Trauma (p.41), Power sets (p.52), Specialties (p.59), Milestones (p.84), Action
Order (p.98), Doom Pool (p.32), Advantage of Scale (p.99) Multi-level Scale (p.100), Hero Dice
(p.30).
Trait Sets: Approaches, Distinctions, Powers, Moves, Signature Assets.

Character Building
Step 0: Get resources
Grab a copy of this character sheet or this template for Fari.

Step 1: Choose Distinctions

Choose three Distinctions narratively representing your character. These distinctions are
Upbringing, High Concept and Character Trait (Trouble). Your Upbringing and Character
Trait (Trouble) are rated at d8, High Concept at d6.
Write two additional SFX for each Distinction, after that unlock two SFX on any
Distinction.
Each of your distinctions benefits from the Hinder SFX:
SFX: Hinder. Roll a d4 instead of your rating for a distinction to earn a PP.

Step 2: Assign Approaches

Assign twelve steps between six Approaches, each one starting at d4. Quick pick: d12, d10,
d8, d8, d6, d4, or d10, d10, d8, d8, d6, d6.

Step 3: Assign Moves

Assign ten steps between six Moves, each one starting at d4. Quick pick: d10, d8, d8, d8, d6,
d4.

Step 4: Assign Methods and Effects

You have 9 steps to spend on these options:
● One step to buy a d6 Effect;
● Two steps to buy a d8 Effect;
● Four steps to buy a d10 Effect;
● Two steps to buy a new SFX or Limit for one of Methods in which you have at least one
Effect.
Step 5: Assign Specialties and Signature Assets
Players have 6 steps to spend on these options:
● One step to buy a d6 Signature Asset;
● Two steps to buy a d8 Signature Asset;
● One step to buy a d6 Specialty;
● Two steps to buy a Signature Asset SFX;

Step 6: Assign Character Details

Write down your Character Milestones and the Group Milestones given to you by the GM.
 Pathways
As an alternative to building your character from scratch you can use Pathways instead. For
this you have to follow the steps presented below.

Step 0: Get resources

Grab a copy of this character sheet or this template for Fari and this Pathways map.

Stage 1: Origin (Major)

Where did you come from? Was your family rich, poor? Aristocratic? Commoners? Was
your family blessed with gifts, or just strange?

Step 1:
Players choose their Upbringing Distinction rated at d8. All six Approaches and Moves
start at d4.

Step 2:
Players get two Move steps.

Step 3:
Players get two steps to step up or add a d6 Signature Asset or Specialty.

Step 4:
Players put two elements related to your past on the map, draw a label and a connection to
them.

Stage 2: Youth (Standard)

What sort of childhood did you have? Were you an outsider among your peers, or a paragon
in your community?

Step 1:
Players get three Approach steps.

Step 2:
Players get two Move steps.

Step 3:
Players put an element related to your childhood and youth on the map, draw a label and a
connection to it.

Stage 3: Focus (Standard)

What sort of goals and values were instilled in you as you grew up? Was it money, a good
life, or elevated status? How did you come to study magic at the Tower?
 Step 1:
Players choose their Character Trait Distinction rated at d8.

Step 2:
Players get three Approach steps.

Step 3:
Players get two Move steps.

Step 4:
Players get two steps to step up or add a d6 Signature Asset or Specialty.

Stage 4: Road (Meta)

What path did you walk as you emerged from your youth? How did you spend your years
studying magic?

Step 1:
Players get three Approach steps.

Step 2:
Players get two Move steps.

Step 3:
Players get nine steps to step up or add a d6 Effect or add a new SFX to Method for two
steps.
Stepping up an Effect to d10 costs two steps, instead of one.

Step 4:
Players put an element related to your character’s personality or magical development on
the map, draw a label and a connection to it.

Step 5:
Players can do two of the following:
● Draw and label a connection between any two elements.
● Destroy a connection between their PC and a given element and add a new element and
connection. Describe how the destroyed connection fell apart.
● Add an element for another PC. The other player labels this connection.
You may choose each element multiple times.

Stage 5: Life-Changing Event (Major)

Something changed your life forever. Was it the thrill of advancement, the sting of tragedy,
or the manifestation of a hidden power? Did you contact something beyond your ken, or
come face to face with your destiny?
 Step 1:
Players choose their High Concept Distinction rated at d6.

Step 2:
Players get three Approach steps.

Step 3:
Players get two Move steps.

Step 4:
Players get two steps to step up or add a d6 Signature Asset or Specialty.
Alternatively, they can spend two steps to add a Signature Asset SFX.

Step 5:
Players put two elements related to your past on the map, draw a label and a connection to
them.

Step 6:
Write two SFX for each Distinction, then two SFX on your Distinctions. Write down your
Character Milestones and the Group Milestones given to you by the GM.
 Traits
Approaches
Approaches are a trait that describes how you accomplish a task. They don’t offer insight
into characters skills or training, instead representing ways in which characters are more
likely to approach a situation.
There are six approaches:
● Flair: An action that draws attention to you; it’s full of style and panache.
● Focus: Time-consuming action in which close attention is paid to details so the task is
properly executed on the first attempt.
● Force: A display of brute strength rather than subtlety.
● Guile: An effort focusing on misdirection, stealth, or deceit.
● Haste: A dexterous movement with alacrity.
● Wits: Quick thinking, solving complex problems, or accounting for numerous variables
at once.

Rating Approaches
Approaches usually have a rating from d6 to d10, although there are exceptions. Everyone
has a rating in all of them.
Approaches scale as follows:
● d4: Poor. Notably deficient in this area.
● d6: Typical. An average degree of ability.
● d8: Excellent. Above-average performance.
● d10: Remarkable. Greatly above average.
● d12: Incredible. Peak levels of ability.

Moves
Moves are a trait that describes what course of action you take approaching a task. Moves
represent more general experience of a character and their preferred way of problem
solving.
There are six moves:
● Assess: Planning and gathering information.
● Defend: Keeping someone or something from harm.
● Engage: Confronting a threat or situation directly.
● Influence: Exerting your will on others.
● Support: Healing or otherwise offering aid.
● Unleash: Throwing caution to the wind.

Rating Moves
Moves usually have a rating from d6 to d10, although there are exceptions. Everyone has a
rating in all of them.
Moves scale as follows:
● d4: Poor. Notably deficient in this area.
● d6: Typical. An average degree of ability.
● d8: Excellent. Above-average performance.
● d10: Remarkable. Greatly above average.
● d12: Incredible. Peak levels of ability.

SFX
In The Adept SFX can be applied to your Distinctions, Magic as a trait, Methods of Magic
and Status.

Magic
Using aether
When you are casting a spell you are assumed to use mana which inflicts Mana stress on
hitches. But you may willingly opt to channel another type of aether to fuel your spells from
these options: psi, astral body, emosequence and prana. Because you are untrained in using
these forms of aether you suffer stress every time you use these, Body stress for prana, Soul
stress for astral body and Mind stress for psi and emosequence. As you advance you may
acquire access to other forms of aether or become more proficient in channelling some of the
aforementioned ones suffering corresponding stress only on hitches.
Also you can use Magic through another type of aether even when it is shut down by Out of
Mana Limit.

Out of Mana
Your Magic trait has a following Limit:
Limit: Out of Mana. When Drained stress would step past d12, set it to d12 instead and shut
down your Magic, step down Drained to recover. Alternatively you can declare that you are
out of mana, shut down your Magic for a scene and gain a PP.

Methods of Magic
In The Adept magic is divided into five Methods that function like a Power Set with at least
one Limit and SFX pertaining to respective Method’s strengths and weaknesses. You can
include one die from one of the methods in your rolls.
The five methods are as follows:
Enchantment
Enchantment is based on imbuing items and beings with magical properties. Enchanting
is a long process which produces items or beings that either have their own magical
properties or help to channel the caster’s own magic. It also often requires special
instruments and reagents. Enchantments can last very long, even indefinitely.
Limit: Time Intensive. All enchantments take time, thus to create an asset using this method
you must spend one scene making it.
 SFX: Lasting Enchantment. When you spend at least a couple of days to create an asset using
this Method it lasts for the entire session.

Magical Craftsmanship
Magical Craftsmanship is based on creation and usage of different magical consumables.
These consumables can range from magical potions and alchemickal grenades to plant parts
with magical properties. Creating each consumable can be a lengthy process that can only be
done in a specially prepared environment, but consumables can be more easily
mass-produced and then used by anybody, even a person without any magical training and
prowess.
Limit: Prepared Environment. You can use this Method when you have access to an
appropriate workshop, whether an already existing or one created with tests.
SFX: Non Fungible Asset. When you create an asset that can only be used once, step up your
effect die.

Ritual Magic
Ritual Magic is based on performing lengthy magical ceremonies. Each ritual is essentially
a more sophisticated version of a spell, combining multiple mediums and involving the
possibility of consumable reagents usage to boost the magical effect. Rituals are much more
cumbersome and lengthy to use which is their main weakness. But Rituals can also produce
long-term and even permanent effects unlike spells which are usually instant or not long
lasting.
Limit: Preparation. Using this Method requires lengthy preparation and cannot be
performed in the middle of combat.
SFX: Reagents. Double all assets consumed as reagents with performing Ritual Magic.

Spellcasting
Spellcasting is based on using special techniques called spells. Each spell is essentially a
description of a desired effect encoded in its medium, such as spoken words, gestures,
inscribed symbols and so on. The main merit of Spellcasting is the sheer versatility of the
spells possible, because any mage can cast any spell, provided he knows it. Main drawbacks
of Spellcasting are the fact that each spell has a very narrow usage and, because of the
absolute length and variety of the spells most mages can’t memorise all of them they have to
retain a part of their spells in their mind or to spend a couple of minutes to cast the spell
from their references.
Limit: Exact Spells. When you declare that you are casting a memorised spell for effects it
was not designed for, step down the rating of the Power you are using for one roll and earn a
PP.
SFX: Memorised Spells. Spend a PP to reveal that you had previously memorised a spell and
gain it as a d6 asset for the session.

Will Magic
 Will Magic is based on channelling mana through the power of mind. Magic can be used via
imagination, intellect, willpower, strong emotions, or all of the above. Will Magic is very
flexible in its applications, because it is not restricted by any formulas, but very narrow in
variety, as controlling magic by force of mind is more difficult than with the usage of
niĝdimdima or prepared equipment. Will magic is also the easiest to lose control of because
of the aforementioned reasons.
Limit: Unstable Spells. Whenever you fail a test involving application of this Method your
effect is still enacted but in an uncontrolled fashion and you add your largest die into the
Doom Pool.
SFX: Crude Magic. Step up or double your power whenever the effect of your magic is not
precise or sophisticated. Add your effect die to the Doom Pool.

Effects of Magic
Each of the methods has following effects as Powers in set, each power can be bought
separately for each Method of Magic.
The Effects are as follows:
Animation: Magical Effects related to animating inert matter such as corpses, volumes of
homogeneous matter or manufactured statues and mechanisms.
Chaos Manipulation: Magical Effects related to influencing the probabilities, bestoving
good and bad luck.
Elemental Magic: Magical Effects related to creating and manipulating a given element.
Choose one element when purchasing this Effect (Pyromancy, Hydromancy, etc.), this Effect
can be bought multiple times choosing a different element each time.
Extraordinary Senses: Magical Effects related to enhancing your senses and gaining new
ones.
Flesh Manipulation: Magical Effects related to transforming physical bodies and healing.
Hyperinteractions: Magical Effects related to travelling between and interacting with the
Seven Spheres.
Illusion: Magical Effects related to deceiving senses, magical disguise, phantasms.
Materialisation: Magical Effects related to transforming aether into matter essentially
creating it from nothing.
Matter Transformation: Magical Effects related to transforming matter both in form and
composition.
Mental Manipulation: Magical Effects related to manipulating the minds emotions and
instincts and programing mental constructs.
Metamagic: Magical Effects related to absorbing reforming all sorts of aetheric forces not
bound to matter, such as antimagic or tampering with spells already cast.
Portals & Teleportation: Magical Effects related to creating portals or teleporting between
different points in space either in one reality or between different ones.
 Soul Manipulation: Magical Effects related to manipulation of soul composition and
functions.
Space Manipulation: Magical Effects related to warping spatial geometry and scaling as
well as creating unusual spatial phenomena.
Summoning: Magical Effects related to summoning and banishing extraplanar beings
such as demons, celestials, all kinds of spirits and even gods.
Telekinesis & Levitation: Magical Effects related to moving objects and controlling kinetic
forces.
Time Manipulation: Magical Effects related to accelerating or decelerating time and
warping its flow.

Status
All mages of the Tower are a part of hierarchy, ruled by the council of archmages. Their
status determines their influence on the Tower’s and Empires politics as well as
approximately represents their magical power.
In The Adept your High Concept Distinction is rated from d6 to d12 and it represents your
stance in Tower’s hierarchy.
When you are using magic, no matter which Distinction you are using, GM may decide
that you are using magic outside of your league, compare your High Concept to what the GM
has set as spell’s power, for each step above your High Concept you must replace the biggest
die in your pool with d4.
● d4: Student. A mage in training, they are not considered full members of the Tower yet.
● d6: Apprentice. A novice, but already trained mage, who has just finished their magical
studies.
● d8: Master. An experienced mage, who is adept enough to create their own magical
technique from scratch.
● d10: Magister. A very powerful mage, who has presented a completely new discovery to
the Tower.
● d12: Archmage. An incredibly powerful mage who is a paragon of human magician, this
title is elected by the archmage council of the Tower.

Hero Dice
Every time you get a heroic success you can store the opposition’s highest rolling die on
your character sheet. You can have only one hero die of each size, otherwise they function as
stated in the Handbook.
 Stress & Trauma
Stress and trauma are a measure of your damage. There are six types of stress and trauma
in the Adept:
● Drained: This is the stress of mana depletion. Once this exceeds d12, you are drained of
mana and can’t cast even the simplest spell.
● Exhausted: This is the stress of fatigue and tiredness. Once this exceeds d12, you can no
longer remain awake.
● Injured: This is the stress of pain and wounding. Once this exceeds d12, you collapse
unconscious, or aren’t able to act because of pain.
● Rattled: This is the stress of fear, anxiety and insecurity.. Once this exceeds d12, you are
paralysed by fear and insecurity.
● Shattered: This is the stress of spiritual damage. Once this exceeds d12, your Mantles are
shut down and can’t function temporarily.
● Unsound: This is the stress of confusion and madness. Once this exceeds d12, you are
overcome with madness or confusion.

Complications
A complication is an unhelpful temporary trait that the opposition includes in their dice
pool to make the opposed roll harder for the character with the complication. Complications
should be given descriptive names and a die rating, usually a d6 to start.

Using Complications
Whenever a player or the GM is rolling against a character that has a relevant complication,
they may add it to their dice pool. Doing so doesn’t cost anything, and there’s no limit to how
many applicable complications can be included in a dice pool, nor is there a limit on how
many complications a character can have.

Complications As Consequence
Outside of hitches, complications can arise as a result of a lost contest or failed test. In
either situation, the GM can decide that a player must step up an existing complication by
one if the existing complication is equal to or larger than the die rating of the new
complication.

Doom Pool
Doom Pool is used in the same way as written in Cortex Handbook, but as Adept is
designed with long term games in mind it is advised that after every major arc the GM
should reset or otherwise weaken it to ease the tension and represent the reducing threat.
 The doom pool can be used for additional scene effects, depending on the game. Some of
the most common uses are:
● Create a complication, asset, or scene distinction: spend a die from the doom pool
and create a Complication or Asset attached to the scene equal in size to the die
spent. Or, spend at least a d8 and add a distinction to the scene that may be used by
players and GMCs alike.
● Interrupt the action order: Spend a die from the doom pool equal to or greater in
size than the largest combat or senses-related trait of the PC whose turn is up next.
One of the GM’s own GMCs gets to go instead, and the GM then picks who goes
afterward (not necessarily the player who was interrupted).
● Add a new extra: Spend a die from the doom pool and create an extra with a single
trait rated at the size of the doom die spent.
● Introduce a minor or major GMC: If a GMC who isn’t present in the scene could
conceivably show up, spend a die from the doom pool equal to that GMC’s highest
rated trait and drop them into the scene, ready to act when the action order gets to
them (which could be right away, if the GM is the one deciding who goes next).
● Split the group: spend a d10 or a d12 from the doom pool and some environmental or
narrative event takes place that divides the group into two (minimum one PC in each
new group). The PCs have to spend time reuniting their group, which may lead to
more problems.
● End the scene immediately: spend 2d12 from the doom pool and cut the scene off
right there before it’s resolved, with the GM deciding how it ends. Usually, the scenes
should play out until there’s a reasonable ending point, but this way the GM can just
smash cut to a new scene with plot threads dangling. Or stage an auto-win by the
villains.

Crisis Pools
Crisis Pools represent localised problems, smaller in scale than general Doom Pool.
To form a Crisis Pool a GM should spend dice from his Doom Pool. Dice spent this way
transfer directly from Doom Pool into a Crisis Pool, reducing an overall session threat. When
transferring dice from Doom Pool to a Crisis Pool a GM can split a die into two dice, stepped
down by one or combine two dice into one and step it up.
Crisis pools can be directly affected by the actions of PCs. In this way, they are a lot like
mobs. To eliminate a die in a crisis pool, a player makes a test opposed by the crisis pool. If
they beat the crisis pool’s difficulty, they can apply an effect die of at least one step larger to
the crisis die they want to get rid of. This takes it out of the crisis pool entirely. If they don’t
have a die that’s larger, they can use one of the same size or smaller to step down a crisis die
instead. Crisis pools reduced to zero dice are no longer problems.
 Challenges
Challenges are a mod of crisis pools. Challenges represent problems that are many-faceted,
presenting different, smaller issues to tackle before being fully resolved, or problems that are
big or take a lot of time.
Challenges take place over several rounds. Each round represents some passage of time; it
could be a few seconds, or it could be hours or even days. The challenge gets to act on its own
turn and can either get worse or create problems for the PCs in response.
If there’s no time-sensitive element to the challenge, success becomes a matter of how long
it takes the players to overcome the challenge without getting taken out of the scene. The GM
may declare that something happens after a certain number of rounds; if this happens, the
PCs have failed the challenge.

Challenge Pool
A challenge pool is a dice pool that represents the difficulty and duration of a challenge; it’s
rolled by the GM to set the difficulty for each PC’s turn, and for the GM to roll against the
PCs on the challenge pool’s turn.
To create a challenge pool, the GM chooses base difficulty dice the same way as they would
in a test. Then, they add up to 3 additional dice of the same die rating depending on how
long the challenge should take to overcome.

Taking Turns In A Challenge

Challenges use handoff initiative. The GM decides which PC goes first, but once a PC has
had their turn, that player chooses which remaining PC goes next. Each player gets one turn
per round. On a PC’s turn, the GM rolls the challenge pool to set the difficulty, just like in a
test.
Once every PC has had a turn, the challenge pool acts.
The GM can choose to either:
● Target a player with a negative effect, or
● Strengthen the challenge pool by stepping up one of its dice or adding a d6.
If the GM targets a PC, their player rolls to set a difficulty for the challenge pool first, and
the GM rolls the challenge pool second, giving the PC stress (or a complication) on a success.
Once the GM has had their turn, it’s back to the players. The player who went last in the
previous round gets to choose who goes first, including nominating themselves.

Challenge Outcomes
If a PC beats the challenge difficulty on their turn, they make progress, and compare their
effect die to one of the dice in the challenge pool. If it’s bigger, the challenge die is removed
from the challenge pool. If it’s equal to or smaller, the challenge die is stepped down by one
step. If a challenge die would be reduced below d4, it’s taken out of the pool.
 If the PC doesn’t beat the difficulty, they fail to progress the challenge, and take stress (or a
complication) of the GM’s choice equal to the challenge pool’s effect die.
A heroic success in a challenge lets a PC overcome it faster. Each heroic success lets them
step up their effect die by one step, or keep an additional effect die from their remaining
dice; with the latter, they can compare this added effect die to another die in the challenge
pool and either eliminate it or step it down, as well. See Heroic Success.
Once the challenge pool is reduced to zero dice, the challenge is over, and the PCs have
won. Alternatively, the GM may declare that something happens after a certain number of
rounds. If this happens, the challenge may be a failure if players don’t overcome the
challenge in time.

Doom vs Crisis vs Challenge

Doom pools, crisis pools, and challenge pools share similar mechanics, but they represent
different kinds of opposition.
A doom pool is an overarching threat that dominates the setting. It serves as the opposition
for all tests and can aid major GMCs. The doom pool grows larger and smaller in the size and
number of the dice that make it up, but it’s never completely eliminated. Dice from the doom
pool can be spent to do the same things as PP, in addition to a variety of other actions.
Crisis pools are a mod of doom pools that represent smaller localised problems. There are
often several crisis pools at a time, pulling the attention of the PCs in various directions. A
crisis pool can spend its dice much like a doom pool, but only for things related to the crisis.
The PCs can directly affect and eventually eliminate crisis pools.
You can use both crisis pools and the doom pool, spending dice directly from the doom
pool to create a new crisis pool.
Dice spent in this manner go from the doom pool to the crisis pool, thus reducing the
overall doom of the session but creating specific, localised situations the players can directly
affect.
A challenge pool is a mod of crisis pools that represents a single multi-faceted problem that
the PCs can directly affect and eventually eliminate. Unlike a crisis pool or doom pool, the
challenge pool cannot spend dice as if they were PP.

Dropping Signature Assets

At any point during the scene a player can choose to lose a Signature Asset narratively
justifying it. If you do this, at the start of the next scene you can gain a new Signature Asset
of the same size or multiple Signature Assets with ratings stepped down for each after the
first.
 Character Advancement
Milestones
In The Adept character advancement is handled with milestones. In bridge scenes or
between sessions you can spend XP to increase your traits or unlock other benefits.
Spend 5 XP to:
● Unlock an SFX or Limit.
● Add a d6 Signature Asset or Specialty.
● Switch out a distinction for a new one.
Spend 10 XP to:
● Add a new SFX or Limit.
● Step a Specialty or Signature Asset up to d8.
● Add a d6 Power.
Spend 15 XP to:
● Step a Specialty or Signature Asset up to d10.
● Step a Approach or Move up to d6.
● Step a Power up to d8.
Spend 20 XP to:
● Step a Specialty or Signature Asset up to d12.
● Step a Approach or Move up to d8.
● Step a Power up to d10.
Spend 25 XP to:
● Step a Approach or Move up to d10.
● Step a Power up to d12.
Spend 30 XP to:
● Step a Approach or Move up to d12.
● Step a Status up to d8.
Spend 35 XP to:
● Step a Status up to d10.
Spend 40 XP to:
● Step a Status up to d12.
If you switch out a distinction, your new distinction has as many SFX unlocked as the
original, although they may be entirely different SFX.

Session Records
As an option you may swap Milestones with Session Records. If you choose to do so at the
end of each session the GM will work collectively with the players to come up with the name
of the session. Players can opt out to write a unique name for the session representing a
character’s experience that session.
 Each player can make a callback to a session they have on their character record by
referencing a given session in-character. A session callback can be used as a substitution for
using a PP.
You can make a callback to a previous session only once per session, checking the box next
to the record. Uncheck the boxes when a new session begins.
Once you have made at least one callback to a session during play, it may be spent. By
spending sessions from your record, you can make permanent improvements to your
Wizard. A spent session remains on the record but can no longer be used for callbacks or to
train a second time. During tag scenes, spend sessions to:
● Switch out a distinction for a new one: 1 session.
● Unlock or add a new SFX: 2 sessions.

● Turn an asset from a session into a d6 Signature Asset: 1 session.

● Step a Signature Asset up to a d8 : 2 sessions.
● Step a Signature Asset up to a d10 : 3 sessions.
● Step a Signature Asset up to a d12 : 4 sessions.

● Add a new Specialty at d6: 2 sessions.

● Step a Specialty up to a d8: 3 sessions.
● Step a Specialty up to a d10: 4 sessions.
● Step a Specialty up to a d12: 5 sessions.

● Add a d6 Power: 3 sessions.

● Step a Power up to d8: 4 sessions.
● Step a Power up to d10: 5 sessions
● Step a Power up to d12: 6 sessions.

● Step an Approach or Move up to d6: 4 sessions.

● Step an Approach or Move up to d8: 5 sessions.
● Step an Approach or Move up to d10: 6 sessions.
● Step an Approach or Move up to d12: 7 sessions.

● Step your Scale up to d8: 6 sessions.

● Step your Scale up to d10: 7 sessions.
● Step your Scale up to d12: 8 sessions.
If you switch out a distinction, your new distinction has as many SFX unlocked as the
original, although they may be entirely different SFX.
 Combined Advancement
A third option for character advancement is a combination of milestones and session
records. You still get three milestones and record your sessions as usual, but you can advance
specific traits by spending either xp or session records.
Spend 5 XP to:
● Unlock an SFX or Limit.
● Add a d6 Signature Asset or Specialty.
Spend 10 XP to:
● Add a new SFX or Limit.
● Raise a d6 Specialty or Signature Asset to d8.
Spend 15 XP to:
● Raise a d8 Specialty or Signature Asset to d10.
Spend 20 XP to:
● Raise a d10 Skill, Specialty or Signature Asset to d12.

Spend session records to:

● Switch out a distinction for a new one: 1 session.
● Add a d6 Power: 3 sessions.
● Step a Power up to d8: 4 sessions.
● Step a Power up to d10: 5 sessions
● Step a Power up to d12: 6 sessions.
● Step an Approach or Move up to d6: 4 sessions.
● Step an Approach or Move up to d8: 5 sessions.
● Step an Approach or Move up to d10: 6 sessions.
● Step an Approach or Move up to d12: 7 sessions.
● Step your Scale up to d8: 6 sessions.
● Step your Scale up to d10: 7 sessions.
● Step your Scale up to d12: 8 sessions.
If you switch out a distinction, your new distinction has as many SFX unlocked as the
original, although they may be entirely different SFX.

Game Master Characters

Bosses
A boss is a type of GMC that might represent a powerful opponent like a huge rampaging
monster, or it may be a foe who outclasses the PCs not only in traits, but in an abstract
dramatic sense. Bosses can replace major GMCs in your games if you prefer not to do all the
work of making opponents who have the same game stats as your PCs.
 Creating A Boss
Rather than a full character file, a boss has multiple dice of one size that make up a boss
trait, such as 4d10. They can also have distinctions, SFX, or anything else the GM wants to
add in. The dice pool for a boss typically consists of large and/or many dice.

Defeating A Boss
A boss is defeated when all of their boss trait dice are removed. Each time the outcome of a
PC’s roll would create or step up a complication or stress that exceeds the boss trait die
rating, one die is knocked off, and the complication or stress is removed. When all of the
boss trait dice are eliminated, the boss is defeated.
 The Setting

A note for GMs

The Adept is set in the alternate version of the ancient history of our world, it isn’t too
historically accurate and doesn’t try too hard to be such, thus I advise you don’t worry too
much about historical accuracy and periodisation if it spoils your fun.

Magic
Magic, or as it is also called - emeĝar ot the Art. Magic is the power to control mana, chi,
shipru or whatever you want to call it. It is Art, Chaos, and Science: a blessing, a curse, and
progress. It is “the Art'' as it takes a certain spark, talent and creativity to wield and express
it. It is “Chaos” as the magic can be fickle, dangerous and unfathomable by those whose
minds are not strong enough to contain it. And it is “Science” for it takes effort, discipline,
hard work and extensive study of the very laws that govern the multiverse.
To use emeĝar on the basic level you need to consume, transform and utilise the mana you
received with a part of your soul known as the “Active spirit” or the “Seventh Mantle”. And
theoretically magic is simple, you can use it with just your will and imagination to transform
mana into whatever you desire, but wizards have been complicating it for better results. So
wizards have what is called niĝdimdima (magical procedures): incredibly difficult spells,
carefully orchestrated rituals and such. The paradox is that the easier it is for most of the
students to learn, it is intricate, but easier to perceive. That is because the Seventh Mantle is
dormant in humans, so awakening it requires truly incredible finessing.

Multiverse
The Multiverse is the common title of all the worlds that were spawned at the time of
Creation. It is twelve dimensional and is made of three elements: matter, energy and aether
and is governed by the laws that differ from reality to reality.
A singular world is usually a four-dimensional hypersphere. This hypersphere is usually
divided into the seven planes called the Seven Spheres. If we look at them outside in, they go
like this:
1. Noosphere - it is a global informational field of the world which has all the information
to ever exist on a given world, nothing exists there except for pure data.
2. The Dreamspace - this is a plane where the dreamings (an even less real variety of
spirits) reside, they can’t enter the material plane, but visit souls and minds of the living
quite often, the aether is present, albeit very thinned.
 3. The Beyond - spirit world, the Beyond, this is where mortal souls dwell after their death
before being assigned an afterlife, if they qualify, consists purely of aether.
4. The Astral plane - a plethora of ethereal reflections of a Material plane, such as the
mirror realm, the shadow realm, elemental planes and much more, this is where the
most spirits reside, mages who can enter ethereal form use this Sphere for fast travel,
this plane is made up of aether as well, but much denser kind.
5. Material plane - classic space you inhabit.
6. Hyperspace - a plane where euclidean geometry starts to lose its meaning, it is
inhabited by cosmic monsters who live beyond the stars, this plane is used for
interstellar and cosmic travel, more often by technologically advanced civilisations than
magical ones, it is even more real than classic space.
7. The Core - this is a presumably supermassive and incredibly real object at the centre of
one reality, which locks and holds a given reality together, somewhat like the Sun does
with the solar system.
Everything that is above the Material plane on the list is called subspace, it is much bigger
than classic space, which allows a crafty mage to fit a palace in a box, for example.
Hyperspace, on the other hand, is much smaller, thus shortening cosmic distances.
It Is important to note that everything mentioned above is an average situation, there are
much more unorthodox worlds in the multiverse, than the Seven Spheres.
Other eight dimensions ensure multiplicity of worlds, as all realities are shifted by one step
away from each other. Thus you have two to the power of eight directions to travel.
The space between worlds is filled with shapeless, uncreated Chaos, from which gods build
new worlds. The membrane between Chaos and realities is called Limbo.

Aether
Apart from matter and energy, the multiverse has a third component - spirit. Also named
aether.
Aether is an incorporeal omnipresent substance, that surrounds everything in existence,
Aether isn’t homogenous. In its natural state it is akin to “astral vacuum”, static and inert.
But in the infinite ocean of aether exist streams, winds and waves.The smallest possible part
of free aether - somewhat an equivalent of an elementary particle - is called “eon”. And these
“spiritual particles” too can exist in different states.
● Mana or shipru - so called “hot” aether, its accelerated eons flow stream in calm ocean of
normal “cold” aether. In its basic form mana is inert and inactive, but holds incredible
potential when consumed and utilised in the process known as magic.
● Astral body - stable and dense form of aether, which took a certain shape. This category,
for example, includes souls, although they have a very complex structure. There are
many worlds composed purely of stable aether - called astral worlds populated by
spirits, matter can’t even exist there. Besides souls of animate beings and astral worlds,
 every material object has a so-called “astral shadow”, which is similar to an aura of a
living being, but much more simple. This shadow is what grands materials and items
their magical properties. Because of it silver kills the undead, iron interferes with simple
magic and copper can touch incorporeal entities and so forth.
● Prana - “soft” aether, carrying constant and steady flow. This is a life force universal for
all beings. If something appears living but doesn't have prana - you are dealing with
undead.
● Ba-hion - aether of the highest purification, emanating from the high-level astral body.
Divine energy released in any spiritual action. If the action is addressed to a god - a
prayer, sacrifice, ministration, even just invocation - the ba-hion goes to this god. The
more often and more earnestly the ba-hion is produced, the more valuable such a
"battery" is for a given god. But with true magic, the ba-hion is produced much more
intensely. It inevitably accompanies any niĝdimdima, even the simplest acts of magic.
This is why gods and demons alike value mage worshipers much more than mere
mortals.
● Prima element - incredibly potent unidirectional stream of aether. Depending on the
direction it may be Light (radiance, altruism and creation) or Darkness (absorption,
egoism and destruction) these are not extensions of moral morals, but multiversal
constant that constitute the most basic cornerstones of the multiverse, for example: the
Core of any given world or Ātman of any being is a balance of both the Light and the
Darkness.
● Psi - very “lightweight” form of aether produced by Freneses of sentient beings during
cognitive process. Psi is required for any creature to retain its sentience and
consciousness.
● Emosequence - reactive and “charged” form of aether produced by emotions of beings
with Oumos. Emosequence sustains feelings and personality of an individual.

Aetherial Percepcion
All wizards, as well as some other people and magical creatures, have a unique sense called
Aetherial Perception, which allows them to perceive aetherial winds, auras and other such
things. But there is no special organ of perception to feel different forms of aether, so the
mage’s mind interprets it as a different sensory image such as a smell or a sound. Most
mages can utilise all their senses for their Aetherial Perception but have a primary way of
perceiving aether, usually sight or hearing.

Soul Constitution
The soul is a kind of astral body, an ordered structure of stable, dense aether. It is present in
all forms of life, including the most primitive. It has a complex structure, and is divided into
several Mantles. From four to nine, depending on the creature. Each Mantle has countless
names, but here are the most common and simple ones.

First Mantle
This is a traditional name for the physical body. However, this component is far from
necessary - there are quite a few creatures that are not burdened with this shell. These
creatures are called spirits.

Second Mantle
Vital energy, also known as prana, among other names. It permeates every cell of the
physical body, allowing the creature to live, breathe, move, feed, reproduce. The complete
loss or disintegration of prana means the death of the physical body. If a creature possesses
some semblance of a soul and a physical body, but lacks the Second Principle, then what we
have is undead.

Third Mantle
Astral body, also called Skias Onap. It is visible to some extent - this is what magi perceive,
examining an aura. The Third Mantle ensures our afterlife, produces ba-hion and allows us
to travel in the immaterial realms. The astral body copies the physical, which is why spirits
and ghosts usually look the same as they did in life. It is necessary to radically change the
very perception of oneself in order for the astral appearance to undergo a change. Not only
people have their own Skias Onap, but also animals, plants, even inanimate beings - very
primitive, but still there. That is why there may be ghost ships, ghost houses, ghostly
weapons, ghostly clothes ... in fact, almost every material body casts such an "astral
shadow".

Fourth Mantle
Atman, also known as the True Soul - the central core, the pivot to which all the other
Mantles are "attached". This is the most important Mantle - self-awareness. It encodes basic
information about the structure of the soul. It is impossible to change or destroy the Fourth
Mantle. This is the part of a soul that is responsible for reincarnation.

Fifth Mantle
Sensual spirit, or Oumos. This is personality, character, emotions, feelings. It is this Mantle
that is usually seen as soul in fairy tales - a creature devoid of the Oumos is akin to a soulless
machine. Higher animals have rudimentary Oumos as well, for them it sustains their
characters as well as instincts, especially more advanced ones.
 Sixth Mantle
Cognitive spirit, or Frenes. This is the mind, memory. This Mantle is concentrated around
one's brain. It is thanks to the Frenes that the spirit after death retains the ability to think
and remember, despite the loss of the brain.

Seven Mantle
Active spirit, or Nous. These are spiritual lines and nodes, through which mana flows. It is
this Mantle that allows you to cast spells and do magic. In ordinary people, the Nous is in a
"dormant" state, and only in a properly trained magician does it flourish in all its glory. Of
course, even among non-magicians, Nous is present and functioning - it produces ba-hion,
such things as prayer, meditation depend on it, Nous also gives you your imagination. Even
dreams are one of the manifestations of Nous.

Eight Mantle
Immortal spirit. Only true immortals possess one. In addition to indefinitely long life, this
Mantle also grants a number of other benefits. At the very least, this is an increase in
physical abilities, not necessarily all at once, but in some form - for sure. As well as all sorts
of other properties and characteristics that depend on the specific type of the spirit and on
the type of aether it is composed of.

Ninth Mantle
Divine spirit. Only the gods have this Sheath and is generated through a kind of “opening”
or “flowering” of the Atman. It is based on the primary element and determines the polarity
of the deity - belonging to the Light or Dark gods. It gives amazing abilities to influence
reality but to stabilise this "ethereal vortex" deities require ba-hion supplied by their
followers.

The Tower
The Tower is an organisation of mages created by the Sumerian wizards to control magic
usage in the Sumer, teach and develop the Sumerian school of magic, as well as to
investigate and confront potentially dangerous supernatural phenomena. Every guest mage
who wants to practise the Art at the territory of the empire must get a permit from the Tower
and every Sumerian mage-to-be must be a part of the Tower.
As a Sumerian mage you have countless privileges provided to you by the Tower, such as a
community to rely on, political power or repositories of arcane knowledge, but there is a
price for all of that, as you have one duty before the Tower, a tax, if you will. To be able to
progress in ranks, or benefit from all your privileges you must work for the Tower in some
way with your magic or spend money instead, to help sustain the Tower’s existence and the
higher your stance is in the Tower the harder are your tasks and the more you have to
contribute to the Tower.
The Tower is autonomous from the rest of the Sumer thus even the Lugal himself can’t
command mages directly without giving something to The Tower in return, which raises
some tension between mages and the government and aristocracy. This tension can lead to
severe consequences, maybe an outright civil war, but the tension is not that high yet and the
conflict mostly manifests through a bit of intrigue and plotting from both sides.

The Disciplines
The Sumerian magical school originally distinguished between sixty magical disciplines, a
lot of which were added for number as sixty was a sacred number. And the educational
process consisted of passing of knowledge from teacher to a student not overseen by the
Tower whatsoever.
But after the reforms by Rhinneman the First, the present head of archmage council, the
list of disciplines was reformed and reduced twofold. And a unified examination at the
Tower in Babylon was introduced to the process of bestowing the title of Apprentice, which
has already proven immensely beneficial.
Here is the short summary of all the reformed disciplines the Tower recognizes:
● Mystegrald - universal magi. Their magic is slow and preparation heavy, but can achieve
almost anything with enough time and resources.
○ Verbalion - Spellcasters. The faculty of magi who employ complex and carefully
codified verbal or somatic spells.
○ Scribonisium - runic magi. They use written and scribed symbols and hieroglyphs to
trace them on objects living or not.
● Willateum - instant magi. They create instantaneous magical effects with their pure
will, their abilities are narrow but very flexible in usage.
○ Elementurium - Elementalists. Evoke and control a certain substance or energy of
their choice.
○ Ingredior - Telekinetics. Move items with mind, create fields of power for offence and
defence, giving them particular properties.
○ Meteorad - Meteomagi. Reshape overall weather and climatic patterns.
● Enormyr - dimensional magi. Control space and time, travel through Seven Spheres.
○ Trampez - Transporters. Use portals and teleportation to travel in three mundane
dimensions and eight multiversal.
○ Hyperion - Hyperinteractors. Travel through Seven Spheres, located in the fourth
dimension, interact with them and their denizens.
○ Planerium - Spacewarpers. Warp spatial geometry, change spatial scaling and create
unusual spatial structures.
 ○ Tempestador - Tempomancers. Can speed up, slow down, stop, reverse or warp
temporal stream for a given object or territory.
● Doctrynatos - laboratory magi. Create magical substances and items and are powerless
without their creations.
○ Ferrament - Builders. Construct velets, automata and magical buildings.
○ Dacsimulet - Artefactors. Manufacture artefacts of many kinds and purposes.
○ Similit - Volters. Study symbolic correspondences to influence their targets through
laws of Contagion and Sympathy.
○ Transmutabrys - Alchemists. Work with substances and matters, create materials
with unique substances, experiment with the Philosopher's Stone.
○ Farmacoponium - Potioneers. Brew potions and magical concoctions from natural
ingredients.
● Spectucern - mental magi. Work with information, consciousness and senses.
○ Menturium - Mentalists. Influence mind and senses, create mental constructs.
○ Sensorum - Psychoseers. Can astrally project, see the past and the future, develop
additional senses, or even divine knowledge directly from the Noosphere.
○ Prestigitarium - Illusionists. Deceive all senses, both for disguise and for
entertainment of others.
● Biomodus - life magi. Heal and modify organisms or create them from scratch.
○ Florum - Florists. Grow magical flora with magical properties.
○ Monstramyn - Vivisectionists. Work with life through surgical means, grow
homunculi, splice creatures, create cadavers or full new species.
○ Jatrocelium - Healers. Cure diseases through the usage of pure magic, such as spells
or energy healing.
○ Meditaj - Yogi. Permanently enhance their bodies with extended meditative
practises.
● Permutacis - matter magi. Work with all sorts of matter, transmute it, create and
unmake it.
○ Metamorphosis - Metamorphs. Transform their bodies fully or partially, into existing
beings or something they come up with on the spot.
○ Reparyn - Materializers. Transmute mana into matter or matter back into mana,
copy objects or create them from scratch.
○ Transformarium - Transformators. Change properties, shape or composition of
items and their auras.
● Ryksag - battle magi. Apply almost instant narrow battle magic at will.
○ Protegatum - Protectors. Use complex protective magics of all scales and specialties.
○ Impetarium - Attackers. Use finesse offensive magics to inflict exceptional damage.
● Provocatonys - exploitative magi. Summon, enslave or create different magical
creatures to do their bidding.
 ○ Apellium - Summoners. Summon beings from beyond the Edge and bargain with or
enslave them to use their services.
○ Vacuumad - Creators. Create mana shells that look and function to their originals
from nature or their imagination.
○ Nihilium - Animators. Animate objects into objectals, inanimate substances into
elementals and corpses into all sorts of undead.
● Spiritarys - soul magi. Bless, curse or reconstruct souls as they will.
○ Detriment - Blessers and cursers. Bestow beneficial and detrimental lasting effects
on creatures, objects and even territories.
○ Soulstruct - Soulconstructors. Reshape the soul and implant spells or innate magical
abilities into the subjects of their magic.
○ Drain - Absorbers. Devour and channel all sorts of ether end energy in their
environment.
○ Ryzas - Namers. Use true names of all things to enhance their spells or even enact
control over those whose names they know.