A Magickal Fiasco

Full Tilt Story Creation

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A Story Creation Aide for

Mage 20th Anniversary Edition
 A Magickal Fiasco
Full Tilt Story Creation

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for Mage: The Ascension

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Because Storytelling Is
Hard
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Terry Robinson
 Credits Special Thanks to:
Written By: Terry Robinson Bully Pulpit Games for having an open license for their game
Developed By: Terry Robinson Fiasco. Go play it, it’s sweet.
Cover Illustration: Free Photos from Pixabay Joseph Aleo and Adam Simpson of Mage: The Podcast for
encouraging me to put my fingerprint on the community.
Edited By: Tara Clapper and Josh Heath and to a much lesser
extent the guy who pointed out that I confused “affect”
with “effect”

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This guide is only possible because the fine folks at Bully Pulpit Games allow supplements to
exist under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license, and they even allow supplements to be
published under Pay What You Want pricing, just like The Storyteller’s Vault. So, that’s pretty

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swell. Please note, this is not a Mage: The Ascension expansion for Fiasco, but a Mage: The Ascen-
sion supplement informed by Fiasco.

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© 2018 White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. Vampire:

The Masquerade®, World of Darkness®, Storytelling System™, and Sto-
rytellers Vault™ are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of White
Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved.
For additional information on White Wolf and the World of Dark-
ness, please, visit: www.white-wolf.com, www.worldofdarkness.com and
www.storytellersvault.com.

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 Table of

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Contents

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Author's Note
How Story Seeding Works
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Story Seeding Examples 9
Tables 15
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 
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 Author's Note

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(AKA 'You Can Skip

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This Section')

e Someone convinced you to storytell Mage?

— Every Mage storyteller, while drinking
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Wheel of Fortune
Associations for the tarot card: Wheels, fortunes, Pat Sajak

Mage: The Ascension is a game of infinite possibility and that is far too
much for me. I find the blank page terrifying, and the idea of coming up
with a story from whole cloth fills me with dread. Most of my stories come
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from seeds characters drop or outside inspirations, and I seemingly have

no control over when they'll arrive. Once they have, though, I'm usually
able to spin it out into something my players enjoy. So, what follows is one
of the ways I've found to generate those seeds which will form the basis
of crystals of plot which I can form into a necklace of a story. [That was a
terrible metaphor. -Ed] It's a glorified form of random number generation,
but that seems to be enough. I feel most would write a better story even
given a generic prompt. My goal is to generate prompts and a little more.
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If you found this method useful, or have recommendations on how to

improve or expand it, or you think it's a dumpster fire, by all means tell
me. I’m PhillyCuriosity on the Onyx Path Forums, I help host Mage:
The Podcast, and am active on the Mage Facebook group. Hit me up.
Again, this is not a Fiasco supplement, but a Mage supplement informed
by the game Fiasco...but if you want to use it as a Fiasco supplement I
can't stop you.


 How Story Seeding

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Works

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Introduction: What is Story Seeding?
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Story seeding is a method of using random connections and
fleshing them out to create an initial set of plot opportunities and
character relationships referred to as a plot web or relationship
web. Storytellers can use seeding at the start of a chronicle or
later, and it is a good method for people who find themselves
able to flesh out stories but not always start one.
Super Fast Intro: You can go straight to the overview or the
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character-driven plot. The when and where can be wide-ranging
but the characters are largely immutable. Some plots, instead,
are event-driven. The characters could change and the plot
could stay relatively constant. A Tale of Two Cities depends on
the backdrop of the French Revolution and any characters at
those places in those times would have similar books written
about them.

sample. The method outlined here works best for character-driven

A Magickal Fiasco creates an initial set of world elements plots. Storytellers who like plots where characters bear a gauntlet
and more importantly outlines their relationships and how of trials delivered by the world may need to do some cajoling
they interact, which may help get a story going. This guide will to get things where they like or may find it useful when adding
walk you through picking a set of seed characters and figuring other characters to said trials.
out what relationships, items, needs, and locations tie them
together. Additionally, this guide can even provide assistance
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in generating complications along the way as well as some

contrivance to get the story going in the first place.
This guide is based on the setup method for the game
Fiasco by Bully Pulpit Games. Is this a Fiasco supplement? No,
though one could force it to be one. Instead, this shows you
how to use Fiasco’s setup method to help a Storyteller generate
the start of a story and generate ways to complicate it (story
seeding).

A Note on Story Types

Some plots are character-driven and some are event-driven.
Ever see a modern retelling of a Shakespeare tragedy? That’s a

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 Overview
Note: You may want to grab the six Appendix tables, first
Steps to Story Seeding
1. Select initial number of characters (PC and NPCs) in the
plot web
2. Determine at least two relationships for every character
(again, PC or NPC)
Story Seeding Steps
1. Select initial number of
characters in plot web
What's a Character?
“Character” may refer to non-playing/Storyteller characters
or player characters. NPCs (non-player characters) could include
allies, enemies, distractions, observers, or any other type of
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character in your story. Include at least one player character
(PC, or a character portrayed by an active participant) unless
you plan on your troupe being hooked into the goings on of
the plot web. A plot hook generator is also provided for cases
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where suddenly adding a brother or sister or lover wouldn’t
make sense.
How Many Characters?
The ideal number is 3-5 as a start of which at least one
should be a player character (PC). Any larger and the random
nature of the process can create nonsensical interactions and
any fewer won’t have enough structure. If a chronicle calls
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for more, you can run this method multiple times with small
groups to weave together groups of six or more. You can relax
this situation if there’s no plans for all the characters to directly
interact and the Storyteller just needs some connections.
How Many Player Characters?
Story seeding can be used at the start of a chronicle involving
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some or all of your players. Be warned: story seeding can create
slightly more complicated or tense relationship webs, but partly,
that’s the point. This process can be used later in a chronicle
with some combination of NPCs, partly developed player
characters without fleshed out backstories, or an alternate
set of temporary player characters (time travel, flash backs,
chronicles where players switch between character sets).
Final Note
This is a tool; you’re more than welcome to add or remove
entities if the plot web you create isn’t making sense or to
pre-populate aspects of a plot web that are known. Try to have
3. Add at least one item, location, or need to each relationship
4. Optional: Determine a hook
5. Optional: Choose any complications to add at some point
in the story
6. Run chronicle
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7. (Most importantly) Listen to Mage: The Podcast should it
still exist at time of reading.
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some choices forced. Creativity can come from restraints.
2. Determine at least two
relationships for every
character
Write down the name or a temporary identifier for each
character in your plot web on an index card, sticky note, or
spreadsheet, and arrange these in a circle. You can do this
on a piece of paper, but sticky notes and index cards makes
rearranging things easier. This process will work with specific
character names, vague identifiers (“a player,” “an existing
NPC antagonist,” “a new NPC”) or just numbers (“character
1”, “character 2”, “character 3”). Between each adjacent pair
of characters in the circle, have something to put relationship
details on.
There are two ways to proceed from here:
Roll two dice for each character in the circle plus two to
four more. If you don’t have enough 10-sided dice, you can
use six-sided dice and ignore sixes. If you still don’t enough
dice, that’s fine; just roll a bunch of dice and reroll whenever
your available dice pool is at or below three. As dice represent
options, the goal is to have a period of open options and a
period of narrow options.
Choose a relationship and choose a die and compare that
to the general relationship chart. Note the type on sticky note
or index card between those two characters.
Example: Between a PC and an NPC you select a 7. Add “Personal”
to the sticky note between the characters.
Choose another die and either add a specific aspect
to a relationship or choose the general feature of another
relationship. Repeat this process until all relationships have a
general and specific aspect. Feel free to glance at the options
either way before selecting what to add.
Example: You select a 4 and already have a relationship with the
general aspect of “Personal” and another relationship which has
no aspects yet. You can choose between adding a Awakened World
general aspect to the blank relationship between or you can add the
 
 Sleeping with the Enemy detail to the “Personal” relationship. You
feel the latter sounds more fun and add “Sleeping with the Enemy”
to the “Personal” relationship already established.
Again, continue until all relationships have both a general
type and specific detail. As you match things up, elements of
your plot may become clearer. Jot those down if you wish. This
is ultimately your story, so if you’re backed into a corner and
all remaining dice go against your established narrative, reroll.
3. Add at least one item,
location, or need to each
relationship
Adding items, locations, or needs is identical to adding
relationship details. Choose a die, see if you like the Item,
Location, or Need option and apply it to a Relationship.
Remember: Items, Locations, and Needs are applied to
Relationships not to characters. Making these apply to
relationships generally opens up more options and ties characters
together.
Two Hermetic student rivals (where one has a potent
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talisman) is less inviting to plot than two Hermetic student
rivals who clash over ownership of a talisman, or where one is
using the talisman to get the better of the other, or where one
is being influenced by it. Needs may seem to be an exception
but the interface of a need and a relationship is how the need
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affects the relationship.
Example: Two NPCs that are bitter church rivals; one character
wants to leave a toxic relationship. Maybe that character is part of
a Mainline Protestant Church where there’s heavy social pressure
to make everything appear normal. So while the toxic relationship
applies to one of the characters, it affects the NPC-NPC relationship.
In general, the more elements of a plot can point to other
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elements of a plot the more volatile and compact a plot will
be.
Another reminder: items, locations, and needs don’t need
to be present tense activities, but often work better if they are.
Example: Two characters with a Mage-Acolyte relationship are tied
together by a blood-stained bat with the words “Memento Mori” burned
into it. This could be the item the mage used to kill a bloodsucker that
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was attacking the then not-yet-Acolyte. The item broke in the attack
but flashbacks, callbacks, or references could keep it in the present.
An item could have been lost, destroyed, or taken, causing tension in a
relationship or a location could be where something notable happened.
Do I have to use a circle?
No, you can use a shape besides a circle but you want to start
with a circle before changing the arrangement or adding more
than two relationships.
Do I have to do the relationship details
before doing items, needs, and wants?
 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage
No, it's easier to keep track of but by no means is it required.
Can the players participate?
Certainly. As an alternative option, story seeding can be
done with all participants taking turns adding relationship
details and items. If a relationship calls for a hidden detail or
the element of surprise is important, that detail need not be
shared. This method can also let player pick some details that fit
with their character concept of the backstory they wish to have.
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4. Optional: Determine a
hook
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Plot hooks are ways of getting characters, players or otherwise,
involved in a story. Most of the options presented are geared
towards getting a player character involved but the same events
can apply to NPCs.
5. Optional: Choose any
complications to add at some
point in the story
Complications let the Storyteller add a sudden twist and
would in FIasco be called a Tilt. A Complication causes things
to suddenly get tense, complicated, or high stakes. There’s
nothing saying a Storyteller can’t use multiple but at some
point the plot becomes a bit too random and can start feeling
like a badly written soap opera.
The Storyteller need not plan out where Complications
will occur, but merely keeps the idea at hand to deploy at a
dramatic moment. Characters discovering a lost chantry have
a Complication of “an enemy gains knowledge of your goings
on.” The Storyteller could reveal this early, making the story
a race. The Storyteller could also reveal it much later after the
troupe has separated to explore or to repair something. The
Storyteller could finally reveal this at the end and the characters
much choose to smuggle out arcane knowledge, destroy the site
to prevent enemies from controlling it, or fighting to defend
it. The same Complication leads to different outcomes based
on when it is deployed.
6. Run Chronicle
Go on. Run it. I'll wait.
7. Listen to Mage: The Podcast
should it still exist at time of
reading.
This project is partly inspired by audience feedback
indicating that listeners very much liked hearing ways to start
a chronicle or story.
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Story Seeding
Examples

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Example 1: Four characters with No Estab-
lished Relationships
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The below was done by the author literally rolling dice and using ST lays out four index cards labeled Tracy, Parker, Josh,
this tool. If you want to follow along, grab the tables in the Appendix. and Adam and lays them in a square. ST rolls 10 dice (two for
Our storyteller, ST wants to story seed a four-person plot each relationship plus two more for flexibility) and gets 1, 3,
web. Two of the characters are player characters and two are 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 0, 0
going to be NPCs, one will likely be an antagonist. Here’s the initial setup:
Tracy (PC #1) Relationship: Parker (PC #2)
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Relationship: Relationship:

Josh (NPC #1) Relationship: Adam (NPC #2)

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ST grabs a 0 for the Tracy - Parker relation and writes
“The Past” on the index card between those two players. At
this point, ST can add details to that relationship or start with
the general aspect of a new relationship. ST grabs a 3 and
writes “Awakened World” on the relationship card between
Tracy and Josh. ST takes the 6 and sees that it can become the
“dark secret” in “The Past” relationship, “Political opponents
in a faction” in the “Awakened World” relationship, or a new
“Night-Folk” relationship. ST chooses to make it a “Night-Folk”
relationship between Parker and Adam. ST wants to start
fleshing out a relationship and sees the 0 can be a “Shared
wild adventure” between Tracy and Parker or an “Observer/
Observee” relationship between Tracy and Josh and opts to
make Parker and Adam’s relationship a supernatural/mortal
aide. Now we have the idea that Adam being maybe not cordial
and adds the specific aspect “Bystander victim/agent of harm”
to Parker and Adam “Night-Folk” relationship and takes the 3
out of the dice pool. Maybe the injury was when a Construct
raid resulted in an injured security guard or an attempt to
harness quintessence from a group gathering went poorly?

 
 ST now has a 1, 3, 3, 4, and a 7 to work with. ST wants detail between Tracy and Josh can be either opposing paradigms
the PC/PC relationship to be cordial so picks that “The past” or teacher/mentor. ST thinks about it and like teacher/mentor
relationship between Tracy and Parker is a “former romantic and removes the 4.
partner” removing the 7 from the pool. Josh and Adam’s So this is where our plot web stands after some dice rolls
relationship becomes “sleeping with the enemy” forming a and then allocating those rolls.
parallel with Tracy and Parker and eliminating a 3. The final
Tracy (PC #1) Relationship: Parker (PC #2)
0 - The Past

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7 - Former Romantic Partner
Need:
10 - Truth about
3 - How the bad guys got the drop on you

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Relationship: Relationship:
3 - Awakened World 6 - Night-Folk
3 - Teacher Mentor 3 - Bystander victim/
agent of harm

Josh (NPC #1)

Acolyte of Tracy
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8 - Personal
3 - Sleeping with the enemy
Adam (NPC #2)
Progenitor Extraordinary
Citizen
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4 and sees Tracy and Josh Location having the general aspect
So where does this leave us? Parker is involved in a of “Other mundane area” and the specific aspect being “old
Technocracy raid where Adam is an aspiring grad student who mansion with two or fewer residents.” Maybe it’s a ritual
just happened to be working late in a Progenitor lab when Parker space? A safehouse? A place to crash? The 10 makes the Need
decides to “liberate” the animals in the testing lab. Explosions between Tracy and Parker relationship a “truth about” because
ensue and Adam is injured. Adam was recently dumped and that feels like a good way of explaining the “former” part of
“former romantic partners” relationship. ST selects the 3 to
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is spending time with an ex that’s fallen into the acolyte group

of Tracy who appears to be a follower of some left hand path
(magickal practice that rejects the cultural status quo and breaks
taboos of sex, consumption, and other action). Josh is a fan of
hallucinogens and the Progenitors don’t look kindly on a key
staff member spending time with such elements. Adam has
scouted out Parker and is trying to figure out how to make
them pay for blowing Adam’s rising career and catches Tracy
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add a specific aspect to the general “truth about” need and it
becomes “How the bad guys got the drop on on you.” Maybe
Parker was out for vengeance towards the Progenitors after
getting the drop on a much younger Parker. Parker spent some
time in a Progenitor prison before escaping but by then Tracy
had moved on. Parker was hurt. Tracy cares but can’t care too
much. The 5 and the 5 flesh out the need between Josh and

and Parker together on a viral video showing an outrageous
motorcycle stunt (actually a time/forces effect) and thinks that
the relationship with Josh can be used to get at Tracy. But
maybe Adam’s a bit divided on this?
We still don’t have details on Tracy and Parker. Let’s maybe
add some things? More dice!
(Two per Relationship plus two more for some flexibility)
3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 7, 0
ST wants a Need between Tracy and Parker, a Need between
Josh and Adam, a Location between Tracy and Josh, and an
Object between Adam and Parker. Quickly, ST grabs a 3 and
Adam and adds the general aspect “Desire to have” and the
specific aspect of “Respect from Superiors.”. Adam thinks
there’s brownie points to be won from bringing in Parker or
maybe just Tracy, or both! Adam is torn and is starting to fall
for Josh...but Parker must pay.
Looking at the Object Parker and Adam, ST grabs the 5
and the 3 and the Object becomes generally “Questionable”
and specifically “letter of agreement with an enemy of your
group.” It’s a hall pass allowing Adam to get into the mansion
that Tracy operates out of. Maybe Josh has convinced their
mentor that Adam is changing and they can get a secret agent
in the Technocracy not realizing Adam is trying to play them.

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 Tracy Relationship: Parker
Some practitioner of the 0 - The Past Something a bit esoteric;
left-hand path 7 - Former Romantic Partner maybe a Hermetic?
Need:
10 - Truth about
3 - How the bad guys got the drop on you

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Relationship: Relationship:
3 - Awakened World 6 - Night-Folk
3 - Teacher Mentor 3 - Bystander victim/

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agent of harm
Object:
3 - Questionable
7 - Letter of Agreement
with enemy

Josh Relationship: Adam (NPC #2)

8 - Personal
Acolyte of Tracy

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Need:
5 - Desire to have
5 - Respect from superiors
Progenitor Extraordinary
Citizen
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ST isn’t sure how to get things moving and rolls two dice for been set except Adam. Parker is wondering why their initial raid
a plot hook getting a 2 and a 6. This could be a “Get together where they got captured failed and really wants to know and
they’re being excluded from” or “a break in by well-informed is maybe wondering why Tracy doesn’t seem to care as much.
assailants.” The latter fits in nicely with an abandoned mansion. Including writing everything down, this example took about
The info required for the break in have been provided to 45 minutes to compose
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Adam by Josh.
The ST is worried the story might get too emotionally
centered and wants to have some possible action so rolls four
dice for Complications. The first two are a 2 and 4 and could
be “violence” and “someone chooses to shoot first and ask
questions later” or “strangeness” and “something mundane
proves not to be.”. Maybe the infiltrators plant a listening
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device or during the entry the entrants shoot thinking the

place is abandoned?
The second set of dice are a 4 and 6 and not wanting
more supernatural stuff, ST chooses “revelation” and “party
manipulating the action is revealed.” This could be the obvious
“Josh and Adam relationship comes to light” or it could be
something much more insidious. Maybe Adam finds out that
Tracy likes the relationship with Josh as a possible way to flip
someone or maybe Adam’s higher ups are monitoring things
in a much more active way than anticipated.
Things still open: You’ll notice no location has been set,
only the vague ideas of the paradigms of the characters have

 
 Example 2: Seven Characters, Some
Established Structure
(Due to formatting constraints, the final plot web is shown below with elements added via story seeding in italics)
Daisy Some Dark Entity
Semi-Intelligent Motivation simple, wants to eat,

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Regolith Elemental corrupt, torment crew

Relationship: Relationship:
Familiar Trying to convince Isaac to leave
Object so the amalgam can be lead

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somewhere far worse
5-Supernatural
Object:
6 - Fetish containing a
gaffling of a strong emotion 5 - Questionable
7 - Tass of tainted resonance
Need
1 - Freedom from
7 - A promise made that’s coming due

Jan Relationship: Isaac

Progenitor Mission 9 - The Past Syndicate
Specialist
In favor of staying
Glory seeker but a coward e 2 - Criminal Pursuer
Jan has been stealing equipment and embezzling funds,
Isaac was sent to find out who on the ship was doing it.
Doesn’t yet know who is at fault.
In favor of leaving and striking
out on their own
Wants to use it as a cover to sacrifice
the team to his boss.
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Relationship: Relationship:
4 - Awakened World 8 - Personal
7 - Glory Stealer/True 9 - Share Frown On Activity
Hero Need: Desire to have large amounts
of money
Isaac is willing to agree to anything
because Elliot is not surviving.
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Heidi Elliot
Extraordinary Citizen Greedy VE angling for own ship,
Follows Addison follows Isaac in an attempt to get
faithfully that money
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Relationship: Addison Relationship:

5 - Night-Folk Team Leader 0 - The Past
7 - Member of a Secret Void Engineer 9 - Shared a Wild Adventure
Society Pushing for Amalgam to stay Location
Heidi and Addison are Utopian, thinks mission is vital but doesn’t know 5-Earthly Supernatural Site
both Utopians why they’re there. Must find out 4- Resonant historical site
Object
Addison and Elliot bonded defending
5-Questionable a museum against some very angry
6- Large amounts of an wraiths.
illegal drug. Object
Heidi is using street 9 - Information
stimulants to stay at high
performance. 0 - Ritual to enter lost horizon realm

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 Walking in, ST wants the characters to be dealing with the
machinations of a Technocratic Amalgam that’s been out of
contact in the Deep Umbra for some time. Maybe they’re on a
derelict ship that can no longer patrol or maybe in a backwater
realm. The ST has a few relationships already set up and those
are listed below with no numbers before them.
There are five remaining relationships, so ST rolls 15 dice
as some of the relationships are constrained.
Starting dice: 1, 2, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 0
Right off, ST wants to create some allies and some tensions.
A 9 and 0 quickly turn into Elliot and Addison having shared
a “the past” relationship centered on “a wild adventure” which
makes perfect sense for an Void Engineer. Elliot trusts Addison
and vice versa. ST wants to avoid family relationships and chooses
a 4 and a 7 “Awakened World” and “Glory stealer/true hero”
to say that Jan took credit for something Heidi did. Heidi is a
good Extraordinary Citizen and doesn’t make a fuss focusing
on the team, but we now see that Jan has some ambition.
Maybe Jan thinks if the Amalgam can make it through,
they’ll be quickly promoted or get cushy assignments on next
rotation. The 5 and 7 creates a “Night-Folk” and “secret society
relationship” between Heidi and Addison. ST decides both
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are Utopians of some sort and think the VEs are primed to
lead the return of a reinvigorated Technocracy. Addison trusts
her commanding officer and finds it suspicious that they’ve
lost contact. Addison thinks that maybe their group is being
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held in reserve while Addison’s commanding officer sorts
something out.
Between Isaac and Elliot, the 8 and the 9 becomes “personal”
and “sharing a frown on activity.” ST isn’t sure what this activity
is. They could be in a relationship that could be frowned on in
deep space. Maybe they both really enjoy fantasy novels. ST has
no idea what should happen between Jan and Isaac and just
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grabs two dice, a 9 and a 2. ST thinks about it and can have
a “family relationship” of “close but unrelated” or “the past”
and “criminal/pursuer.” ST picks criminal/pursuer. Maybe
the Elliot was sent to find out who was embezzling and Elliot.
ST has some questions like: Is there anything special with
the regolith elemental? What is the dark entity offering to tempt
Isaac? What was the Jan/Heidi incident? Is there anything
causing high tension on the ship? What was the adventure
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that Addison and Elliot had?
ST wants to add some details so rolls another 15 dice:
1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0
Starting with Isaac, ST looks over the options and wants an
Object tied to it. Grabbing a 5 and a 7, looks like the Object is
“questionable” and “tass with tainted resonance.” This could
go either way: Isaac needs to feed the entity or the entity is
powering Isaac. ST adds another layer to that Relationship
and thinks it should be a Need. Using a 1 and a 7, ST picks
“freedom from” and “promise that you’ve made that’s coming
due.” Isaac’s rise in the Syndicate has come from a dark pact
with something not realizing it. Isaac thought he was providing
regular bodies for Progenitor experimentation and getting
buckets of tass and is only starting to learn that the entity
is far darker. Isaac’s next promised “delivery” is coming due
and it turns out the Amalgam is close to the boss’s true lair.
Isaac’s only organ supply are fellow crew mates so maybe the
last “delivery” is in person.
Next, Addison and Elliot are being tied together by an Object
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and a Location. The 5 and 4 could become “other mundane
area” and “abandoned hospital” or “earthly supernatural site”
and “a resonant historical site.” ST chooses the latter and
likes the idea of Addison and Elliot cutting their teeth doing
guard duty against the Shroud during some festival. This
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event cemented in Addison’s mind that the VE’s mission was
a good one and that Elliot wanted to leave the planet much
preferring aliens to ghosts. ST chooses the 9 & 0 to become an
Object “information” and “ritual required to enter lost horizon
realm”. Elliot thinks he has instructions on how to fix a jump
gate to get to a VE station, long thought abandoned after the
Dimensional Anomaly. Elliot hides that the “method” isn’t
technological and is building up the courage to share.
ST looks at all the 5s and 6s….hm… Heidi and Addison...
there could be Need that’s “a desire for” and “respect from
superiors.” That’s straight forward, but what about the Object
that’s “questionable” and ”a large supply of illegal drugs?” Maybe
Heidi’s performance is cocaine fueled? That supply with run
out and then Heidi may be real on edge.
The final relationship bits are Jan and Heidi, Jan and the
familiar, and Jan and Isaac. ST is low on dice and just picks
an Object to be between Jan and Heidi by rolling two dice and
getting a 3 & a 4. Either way, it’s “supernatural” and a “vial
of vampire blood.” Jan was on a safe mission during his early
years and finds out he’s up against blood suckers. Jan calls in
backup and Heidi is part of the team but Jan fails to specify the
threat. Quick thinking on Heidi’s part jury-rigs a solar emission
emulator, which makes quick work of it. Jan takes credit when
the mission report is submitted and Heidi is soon promoted but
for unrelated reasons. Heidi kept a vial of blood as a memento
and it drives Jan nuts every time Jan sees it.
Finally, Jan and Isaac, hmm…. Two dice! 2 and a 7. There’s
few Locations so far, so ST chooses between “umbra” and “an
Umbral Court” and “mundane urban center” and “a thriving
megapolis.” Choosing the latter, when Jan was in Shenzhen,
Jan old hypertech to local manufacturers slightly ahead of what
the Time Table dictated. The Syndicate caught on and tracked
it down to an Amalgam operating out of coastal China. Jan is
one of five members being tracked. Isaac is assigned to look
after Jan. Isaac doesn’t yet know Jan’s the guilty one.
There’s some depth lacking in the familiar relationship. ST
picks an object, and grabs a 3 & a 5 for a “supernatural” “fetish
containing a gaffling with a strong emotion.” Could it a paranoia
gaffling putting everyone on edge? Maybe a compassion gaffling
which is keeping everyone together and creates the powder keg
 
 disrupted by the players arrival? Or loyalty and that’s why the
elemental is serving Jan? Options for later.
The ST wants to have a few things in the bag when things
go sideways and rolls six dice to get a Hook for the cabal and
a Complication.
2, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9
9 and a 2 turns into “a character receives” and “a letter
addressed to them from someone they don’t know”. Interpreting
will hear it and agrees to make the jump to the base if no one
responds within one week (or shorter if you wish to increase
tension). The Dark Entity notices the beacon activated and
thinks it could get two meals and sends a (quite potent) servant
to investigate. The cabal responds because they’re part of an
Ethership, in a nearby realm, or notice some other entity
responding to the beacon.
With this set up, the characters could be met with open

this loosely, the cabal has in some way picked up the distress
signal from the Technocrats.
The Complication is a 5 and a 3 “a party manipulating
action is revealed”. This could mean:
e
arms, providing an opportunity to make vital Technocratic allies.
Addison and Heidi are willing to work with their purported
enemies if they think they’re on the same side, but it can be
hard to convince people. If the ST chooses the gaffling in the
Fetish to be paranoia, maybe the cabal reaches a dead station

Characters discover the Fetish, the actions of the umbral
demon is discovered.
Some final details fail into place. The Amalgam is on some
planet low on resources as is part of a party attempting to re-
establish a base there after the Dimensional Anomaly passes.
They arrive to an empty base. They run low on quintessence
doing repairs and no longer has the juice to jump home. Elliot
“found” (planted by Isaac) coordinates within range of their
jumpgate to supposedly another VE facility (really the realm
fil
where everyone has their guns drawn and all parties try to shift
the odds in their favor with the new arrivals.
Closing
Go make stories with the people who, for a time, you've
decided to share a table.

e
of the dark entity) and the crew is divided. Addison makes a
concession to activate their distress signal not knowing who
pl
m
Sa

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 e
Appendix: Tables
(Out the Ying-Yang)

fil
e The Tables
pl
The next few pages contain the tables used in story seeding There are six tables on the subsequent pages:
to generate character webs. • Table 1: Relationships
Assumptions made in these tables: • Table 2: Locations
• The setting is contemporary and not a far future or a • Table 3: Items
historical setting • Table 4: Needs
• The setting is something like urban fantasy and does not • Table 5: Hooks
m

take place in an alternative present • Table 6: Complications

• The setting is something like standard World of Darkness You may find it handy to have dead tree copies of these six
and there are Night-Folk besides mages running around pages rather than flipping back and forth between PDF pages.
• The Ascension War or something like it happening
where are factions with access to True Magick that are in
opposition to one another.
Sa

• Some or all of the characters are humans or similar

enough in the sense that they have social relationships
and a range of emotions.
Will these tables still work if one of these assumptions is
violated? Probably. For instance, if you're using a historical
setting, almost all of the Relationships will still hold as will the
Needs but the Objects and Locations msy need a tweak. If your
characters are all spiritual entities or vampires or something
many of the Relationships will need to change and so on.

 
 Table 1: Relationships
General Specific Description Example
1-2 Family
1-2 Sibling
3-4 Parent/child

e
5-6 Distant relative
7-8 Spouse/spouse
9-10 Unrelated but very close
3-4 Awakened World (1+ party is Awakened)

fil
1-2 Opposing paradigms with cor-
dial relationships
3-4 Teacher/mentor
5-6 Political opponents in a faction
7-8 Glory stealer/true hero
9-10 Observer/observee
5-6 Night-Folk (1+ party is supernatural)
1-2
3-4 e
Corrupter/corruptee
Bystander victim/agent of harm
Convincing someone to change alliegiance,
Victim of a changeling Ravaging, blood taken by vam-
pire, caught between warring factions
pl
5-6 Pawn/manipulator
7-8 Members of a secret society Society of Leopold, Arcanum, Hermetic Order of the
Golden Dawn, a mystery religion
9-10 Supernatural/mortal aide Ghoul, acolyte, kinfolk, enchanted
7-8 Personal
1-2 Bitter social enemies in mun- Church enemies, opposing volleyball teams, feuding
m

dane world neighbors

3-4 Sleeping with the enemy Tradition allied person with Technocrat skinjob, dating a
known infernalist
5-6 Coworkers or time-intensive Sit on condo board together, run after school programs,
mundane task members of alumni committee
7-8 Confessor/confessant Therapist, religious confessor, close ex
Sa

9-10 Share frowned upon activity Adulterers, drug buddies, enjoy stolen books
9-10 The Past
1-2 Criminal/pursuer Mundane crimes (theft, murder) or supernatural (mind
control on an ally, stealing tass, blood, or glamour)
3-4 Blood feud Bad blood between two families or groups
5-6 Share dark secret Participated in killing a mortal, unlocked an ancient evil
7-8 Romantic partner, former Found someone new, had to relocate for work/chantry
9-10 Shared a wild adventure Raided a cairn for tass, destroyed small construct, re-
trieved talisman

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 Table 2: Locations
General Specific Description Example
1-2 Mundane Urban Center
1-2 Up and coming city Austin-Round Rock, Texas; Research Triangle
3-4 City past its glory days Site of an industrial accident, former manufacturing hub

e
5-6 Unassuming small town Dropsie, Iowa; Goose Pimple, Connecticut
7-8 Thriving megapolis Los Angeles, Chicago, Hong Kong, Lagos
9-10 University/college town

fil
3-4 Other Mundane Area
1-2 Research facility front for Tech- Research farm, university building, boutique design center
nocracy
3-4 Old mansion with two or fewer Abandoned plantation, hermit mansion
residents
5-6 Abandoned hospital still con-
nected to the power grid
7-8 Monastary or insulated religious Millenarian compound, Luddite community, Scientology
community Center

5-6
9-10

e
Tourist destination where people
go missing
Earthly Supernatural Site
Remote part of a swamp, party or festival spot
pl
1-2 Undiscovered node that should Dark forces guard it, it moves
have been discovered
3-4 Resonant historical site Battlefield, historical hospital, former church, prison
5-6 Site of supernatural importance Cairn/freehold/haunt
7-8 Earthly aspect of a chantry
9-10 Occult library or occult store of Private library,
knowledge
m

7-8 Umbra
1-2 Umbral court Court of Muses, Elemental Courts, Eastern Courts,
Egyptian Courts
3-4 Digital web sector Crystal Palace, Spies Demise, Specialized Realm
5-6 Horizon realm
Sa

7-8 Umbral aspect of a chantry

9-10 Other area of Umbra Paradox realm, Maya, The Dreaming, Quiet Mindscape
9-10 Other
1-2 Shack in the woods Abandoned prepper cabin, drug shack, camping hideaway
3-4 Quiet leafy suburb of no note
5-6 Institution Prison, college, boarding school
7-8 Church or holy site open to the Crypt, large church, site important to pagans
public
9-10 Well beyond the far horizon Hive realm, Copernicus Research Station

 
 Table 3: Items
General Specific Description Example
1-2 Weapon
1-2 Projectile weapon with unusual Revolver with silver bullets, hawthrone crossbow, cold iron ar-
rounds rows
3-4 Potent regular weapon Shotgun, large caliber pistol, hand grenade

e
5-6 Incriminating weapon Bloody switchblade, firearm used in a crime
7-8 Just plain odd Club with a catchphrase on it, net made of doll limbs, unbullets
9-10 Cursed weapon Gun that depletes self control, sword cane that can only strike

fil
the innocent
3-4 Supernatural
1-2 Item with Umbral tie Earthly aspect of a familiar, a wraith's fetter
3-4 A vial of vampire blood or other item of quintessence like dross, chi, gnosis, etc
5-6 A Fetish containing a gaffling of a
strong emotion
7-8 A tome of an esoteric paradigm May be a grimoire or principiae
9-10 An ideal object from the Umbra A key that works in all locks, a perfect dagger, a perfect disguise
5-6 Questionable
1-2
3-4
e
Way to enter Nephandi labyrinth
Letter of Agreement with an en- Right to pass through or go unharmed, access to equipment or
pl
emy of your group resources
5-6 Large amounts if an illegal drug Kilo of black tar heroin, vials of Technocratic smart drugs
7-8 Tass with questionable resonance Tainted, tormented, decaying, violating, qlippothic
9-10 Unexplained human remains A preserved head in a jar, bones of an entire family
7-8 Sentimental
1-2 A teenager's diary
m

3-4 Physical recording of someone Tape of a man singing lullabies, karaoke CD, wax cylinder of a
singing chant
5-6 A photo older than its possessor Family photo not containing the possessor, WWI battlefield
photo
7-8 Personal effects of a dead person Jewelry of a dead heiress, uniform of an armed forces member
9-10 The personal calling card of a well An Janissary's black rose, swan pin of a Thanatoic diplomat
Sa

known mage
9-10 Information
1-2 Well documented conspiracy Strong evidence for a government cover-up, industry-wide collu-
theory sion agreement
3-4 Way of defeating a potent Umbral Ritual to bind an Umbral lord, weakness of a maeljin incarna
entity
5-6 Location of a lost group or person A remaining White Howler, a mage who escaped disembodi-
ment in the Umbra
7-8 Access to a valuable resource Access codes to a numbered bank account, location of a gold
deposit, node location
9-10 Ritual required to enter lost
horizon realm

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 Table 4: Needs
General Specific Description Example
1-2 Freedom from Example
1-2 Bond of supernatural servitude Geas, blood bond, Kith sovereign
3-4 Toxic relationship that provides
something vital

e
5-6 Pursuit from law enforcement
7-8 Promise that you've made that's
coming due

fil
9-10 Destiny or fate
3-4 Vengeance
against
1-2 Mundane power figure Police, Government, Nation-State
3-4 Rival
5-6 Specific someone who hurt some-
one close to you
7-8 An overwhelmingly more power- Technocracy, Camarilla, Umbral Lord
ful foe

5-6
9-10
Desire to have
1-2
e
Someone who embarassed you

Large quantities of a supernatural

Honor challenge, practical joke

Tass/Glamour/Pathos/Blood
pl
resource
3-4 Large amounts of mundane
wealth
5-6 Respect from superiors
7-8 Approval from the community
9-10 A romantic relationship from an
uninterested party
m

7-8 Indulge in
1-2 Weaving an intricate web of lies
to deceive people
3-4 A frowned upon hobby or activity
5-6 Wanton hedonism
Sa

7-8 A doomed relationship

9-10 Abandoning responsibility
9-10 Truth about
1-2 Why a loved one disappeared
3-4 How the bad guys got the drop Traitor, sellout, spy
on you
5-6 A conspiracy/What really hap-
pened at a pivotal event
7-8 Why someone betrayed you
9-10 Who a mysterious new figure is

 
 Table 5: Hooks
General Specific Description
1-2 Troupe experiences
1-2 A shared recurrring dream
3-4 Return of a thought to be dispatched enemy

e
5-6 Break in by well-informed assailants
7-8 Enemy asking for asylum
9-10 Losing access to a vital resource (node, bank accounts, mentor)

fil
3-4 A character experiences
1-2 Sudden appearance of an echos flaw
3-4 Mysterious phone call or equivalent
5-6 Being repeatedly followed by hard to trace person (arcane, obfuscate)
7-8 Return of a problematic contact
9-10 A strong push from their avatar to do something specific
5-6 Characters learn about
1-2
3-4
5-6
e Key meeting of figures from opposing group
A get together they are being excluded from
An enemy trying to make peace
pl
7-8 Show or museum exhibit with supernatural interest
9-10 The sudden appearance of a celestial object invisible to sleepers
7-8 Troupe witnesses
1-2 A crime being committed by an obvious supernatural
3-4 A viral video with the fingerprints of an enemy
m

5-6 A bygone where one shouldn't be

7-8 A seemingly mundane person with a Marauder's reality warping bubble
9-10 A meeting between strange bedfellows
9-10 A character receives
1-2 A letter addressed to them from someone they don't know
3-4 An invitation to a secret society
Sa

5-6 A request to safeguard a potent artifact/device

7-8 A call for help from a distant group
9-10 A request to be ward of someone

 A Magickal Fiasco: Full Tilt Story Creation for Mage

 Table 6: Complications
General Specific Description
1-2 Violence
1-2 A peaceful situation is a set-up
3-4 Someone chooses to shoot first and ask questions later

e
5-6 Misdirected passions
7-8 A score is settled
9-10 Troupe needs to make a sudden escape

fil
3-4 Strangeness
1-2 Something thought mundane proves to not be
3-4 Things start disappearing
5-6 Strong manifestation of an echoes flaws for troupe
7-8 Potent magic manifests
9-10 Mortals start behaving strangely
5-6 Revelation
1-2
3-4
5-6
e
A hidden motive is discovered
Party manipulating action is revealed
A much sought after thing is suddenly in reach
pl
7-8 An unknown connection is revealed between two people
9-10 New information is revealed and the troupe does not yet know it's false
7-8 Intervention
1-2 An enemy gains knowledge of your goings on
3-4 A much more powerful entity takes an interest in what's happening
m

5-6 Mortal authorities get tied up events

7-8 A character's avatar starts strongly opposing the action
9-10 Someone appears to be sabotaging the troupe
9-10 Loss
1-2 A key contact goes missing
3-4 A sudden death destroys well-laid plans
Sa

5-6 Stolen item is stolen

7-8 A tiny error propegates to ruin
9-10 A good plan fails tragically

 