Mage: The Podcast

Adam and Pooka explore the wild world of Paradox [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Paradox_(MTAs)], those cosmic smackdowns that keep Mages humble. They chat about realms where magic bites back, share tales from the table, and review Never-Real Worlds, a Storyteller’s Vault [https://www.storytellersvault.com] toolkit full of roll tables to spark your own strange Paradox adventures. Grab a seat, pour a drink, and join the ride toward Ascension [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Ascension_(MTAs)] (without all the headaches). Show Notes * What Paradox [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Paradox_(MTAs)] is and how it shapes the Consensus [https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=mage+Consensus&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8]. * Paradox Realms [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Paradox_Realm] as teaching tools, not just punishments. * Inspiration from Groundhog Day [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day_(film)] and TTRPG history (like the Dread Gazebo [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_and_the_Dread_Gazebo]). * ⁠ShadowCity: Blood and Neon [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chubbyfunster/shadowcity-blood-and-neon] - A gothic punk roleplaying game with a ShadowDark [https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark?srsltid=AfmBOoodux2oDaaWquXlx2tbvlX1hiB6th9X_XWfN4cAP_PSe5yw7f2_]-inspired approach that throws players into instant action and drama.

Welcome to Reality Deviants Movie Club! Pooka, Adam, and Jenna dive into Sneakers [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakers_(1992_film)] (1992), a techno-thriller packed with heists, hacker mages, and Mage: The Ascension [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Mage:%20The%20Ascension] plot seeds. From Virtual Adepts [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Virtual_Adepts] vs. Technocracy [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Technocratic_Union] to teamwork and codebreaking wonders, we break it all down—plus ideas for running this as a chronicle. Show Notes * Sneakers [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakers_(1992_film)] - This flick is a ready-made low-Arete [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Arete_(MTAs)] chronicle or intro arc to a Virtual Adept campaign. * Sneakers Trailer on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_XRqJV2zdk]. * Cosmo’s quote: “It’s not reality that counts—it’s the perception of reality” is textbook Mage philosophy. * Some Tips for New Storytellers [https://magethepodcast.com/some-tips-for-new-storytellers/] - Adam pullsa bundle of helpful tricks and tips out of his Storyteller’s saddlebag for veterans and folks just starting out running Mage games.

Adam and guest Amena dive into Laws of Ascension Companion [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/1504/laws-of-ascension-companion?affiliate_id=11172], the last Mage live action role-playing game [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_action_role-playing_game] (LARP) book. From Technocracy [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Technocratic_Union] quirks to oddball factions, wild rotes, and Umbra [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Umbra] adventures, they cover what works, what’s weird, and what’s worth borrowing for your Chronicle [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Chronicle]. Plus, Amena shares how she built a thriving local LARP scene from scratch. Download the transcript for today’s show here [http://magethepodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tomes_of_Magick_Laws_of_Ascension_Companion.pdf]. SHOW NOTES * Overview of Laws of Ascension Companion [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/1504/laws-of-ascension-companion?affiliate_id=11172] — content, factions, rules, rotes. * Technocracy [https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Technocratic_Union] chapter breakdown and faction quirks * New groups like Wu-Nung; merits, flaws and LARP-usable skills * Standout rotes and optional rules for PvP [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_versus_player], paradox, crossover play * Locations on Earth and in the Umbra for LARP use * Amina’s journey from online LARP to running live Sabbat [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbat:_The_Black_Hand] and Mage games * Tips for starting and sustaining a LARP community * One Word by Night [https://www.owbn.net] * Amena’s game [https://discord.gg/6HrmS5mF]

Adam chats with 4 guests about 3 projects.  Mage 20 system reference document, Book of Common Magicks and Darkness Over Dallas fiction series. Mage 20 SRD https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_GzPNZoPabVMAKxk_y1aBpl0jic5QD8Y1TyLpCQUuKg Book of Common Magicks https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/462226/Book-of-Common-Magicks Darkness Over Dallas https://www.storytellersvault.com/browse.php?author=T.L.Webb Mage the Podcast social media links Website http://magethepodcast.com Patreon https://bit.ly/MagePatreon Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/magethepodcast.bsky.social Mastodon https://dice.camp/@magethepodcast Threads https://www.threads.net/@magethepodcast Discord https://discord.gg/7rsy59Zz

In this spirited dive into Séance on St. James Street, Pooka and Josh Heath dissect the Victorian Mage jumpstart—what works, what misses, and whether it’s a fitting intro for new players. From ghostly redemption arcs to wonky stats and page-layout sins, they unravel the spectral threads of this quickstart. Is this séance a slayance, or should it be buried with a stake in its heart? Show Notes * Séance on St. James Street: A Victorian Age Mage Jumpstart [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/480381/seance-on-st-james-street-a-victorian-age-mage-jumpstart?affiliate_id=11172] * M20 Victorian Age Mage [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/412531/m20-victorian-age-mage?affiliate_id=11172] - Josh didn’t back the Kickstarter * Praise for Gene Gaydos’s surreal photomontage art * Mendoza the Sahajiya gunslinger and Birgit the Sámi shaman stand out * Hopepunk works best when it’s not yelling at you.