Sorcerer Backgrounds

Reference Lists
Archetypes	Attributes	Abilities	Backgrounds
Flaws	Merits	Misc	Powers

The following Backgrounds are available for Sorcerer/Psychic PCs:

Chole

• Book Reference: WW4254 Sorcerer (Revised Edition) p. 51

You are a medium in the voodoo sense, originally known amongst the Bata'a and other similar practitioners as cholé or God flowers. That is, your body and mind are open gateways to the spirit world. Ghosts, nature spirits and the might loa ride you like a fine horse. Today called Les Chevaux, literally The Horses, amongst the Bata'a and other voodoo practitioners, sorcerers and mages with a strong connection to the spirit world are suitably respected. The sacrifice intrinsic to acting as the open door between the realms is a sacred duty and garners immense attention from otherworldly powers and deep honor among spiritual cultures. The power you represent is demonstrated in the ease with which spirits may possess you and channel their magical charms through you into the material world. The higher your rating in this Background, the more easily spirits can use you, for good or ill. This is the ultimate sacrifice, however, and at least some of the loa will truly appreciate and reward you. It is worth noting that this Background can even exist amongst otherwise normal mortals. The will of the other world is not limited to the enlightened alone.

# of Dots	What does it do?
	Weak - you are the equivalent of a lame nag; -1 to spirit difficulties through you.
	Medium - you have practice, and spirits appreciate this; -2 to difficulties of possession and charms.
	Strong - spirits favor a link such as you; -3 to difficulties to affect the world through you.
	Powerful - the loa enjoy the gateway you provide; -4 to difficulties to enact spirit powers.
	Legendary - even the unbelievers see the divine in you; -5 to target numbers for spirits.

Guide

• Book Reference: WW4254 Sorcerer (Revised Edition) p. 52

A mystical animal or minor spirit has chosen to help the sorcerer along her magical Path. Generally such entities are very interested in the welfare (or at least foibles) of humans but have some motive to attempt to encourage certain types of behavior in their sorcerer companions. Crafty, knowledgeable in magical concerns and possessed of inhuman sense, these beings have a lot to offer their patrons. Nothing is free, though, and this relationship is a two-way street. Guides expect special treatment, including food, shelter, friendship and even strange supernatural necessities. In return guides can help a sorcerer learn mythic lore, gain new Paths or discover unseen things. Take the opportunity to create an interesting, unique creature who has reason to share your sorcerer's fate and influence her behavior.

Guide
	Weak guide - a talking, relatively non-combative animal with a few occult skills.
	Minor guide - exceptionally bright small animal or spirit with detailed occult knowledge.
	Apt guide - a large, intelligent animal or a smaller supernatural creature.
	Strong guide - an animal or spirit with a few magical abilities of its own.
	Powerful guide - a creature with magical talents, vast knowledge and probably a reputation.

Only Sorcerer/Psychics may take this background.

• When requesting this background, either from chargen or post approval, a +note is required. Use the following points to cover the information staff needs to approve this:

General Questions:

My guide knows a whole lot of stuff about X	This will be his primary thing that he knows about.
My guide knows a few things about X Y	Assume that he can give you general ideas about this.
My guide knows a tiny bit about X Y Z	He has only the vaguest notions about this, but might be able to nudge you in the right direction.
My guide absolutely will not help me with X	This is likely combat. He won't pull out mojo to save you.
My guide demands in exchange for his wisdom X	This might be his special place and food and visits to the real world.
My guide's one ability that he can help me with is X	This might be something like acute senses that he can relay to you, or some other merit that he possesses.
My guide manifests to look like X	Provide a general description of what the guide looks like

• Overall, a Guide is meant to be a spirit that is similar to an ally, or even mentor. They will be your buddy in exchange for shelter, food, friendship, etc. They can help teach you some things (but this is only for justification - not a reduction in cost) - as RP Fluff. It is nothing more than a special story touch. Not someone to save you from trouble, or put you into the Phantom zone for a time out.

• Note: Occult knowledge/skills, or 'mythic lore' does NOT cover knowledge of other sphere's lore. You cannot have your Guide know Lore Wraith, or Lore Changeling, just because they can know mythic lore. Similarly, even if they do help the sorcerer learn new Paths or discover something new, it will not equate to a reduction in xp costs to purchase the stats. Only justification.

• You don't have to follow this exactly, but this will give us a more specific idea of what your Guide can do. What we're trying to avoid is something super vague like 'help me stay sharp' that could be applied to 20 different things, or possibly get someone in trouble with another sphere that does not like their secrets being revealed.
  • Your Guide is very low powered. It cannot/will not use actual Spirit Charms for you, near you, with you, against you.

• What powers does a Guide have? Spirit charms are the type of powers a Guide can have. Your chosen Guide Spirit can have the same Spirit Charms that spirit has listed within the approved book it can be found in. It can also have Airt Sense and Re-Form, similar to the rules for Totem. You may not add anything more to it, as even a five dot Guide is not nearly as powerful as a Totem can be.

Mana

• Book Reference: WW4254 Sorcerer (Revised Edition) p. 53

Whether they call it chi, essence, ki, pneuma, psychic energy, ionized electrolytes or any number of other traditional names, sorcerers can tap into sources of energy that empower them in their performance of magic. Meditating or resting on ley lines, in holy places or even in supercharged chemical baths grants the magician who understands their nature a source of power. Other sorcerers ingest a diet of rare substances believed to invoke potency or engage themselves in strenuous rituals, exhausting daily regimens of practice or hypnotic empowerment. Whatever the individual's methods, she exhibits an energy that helps her work her Art, a force described by some as being akin to breath or spirit, or, in Latin, "Mana".

When performing Path or ritual magic, a sorcerer may expend Mana to lower the difficulty target number. As usual, her difficulty cannot be lowered by more than three; however, Mana may reduce the threshold instead, though never below one. Recovering Mana requires the sorcerer to perform her chosen method of recharging and succeed in a Perception + Meditation roll, difficulty 7, with each success restoring one point.

# of Dots	How much Mana
	May store a pool of/expend 1 Mana
	May store a pool of/expend 2 Mana
	May store a pool of/expend 3 Mana
	May store a pool of/expend 4 Mana
	May store a pool of/expend 5 Mana

Sanctuary

• Book Reference: WW4010 World of Darkness: Sorcerer p. 65
• A +note is required to list where it is.

Every magician needs a place in which to work. This Background grants you a secret workshop of some size, stocked with the necessary tools and materials - herbs, wards, ritual instruments, cauldrons, fireplaces, braziers, reference books, whatever your practice might require.

Although hidden from mortal view, this Sanctuary exists in the material world. Often (but not always) attached to your dwelling, this literally sacred place might be an alchemical laboratory, a secluded grove, a garden, a dungeon, a tower or even a simple basement with hidden cupboards. Within your Sanctuary, you effectively have an Arcane rating (see the Background of the same name); this won't help you if your experiment blows the laboratory to pieces, but it will keep the neighbors from wondering about the roaring sound when you summon that minor demon. Assume that any workings that don't involve major destruction are "quieted" by the wards around your Sanctuary. Those wards keep trespassers at bay, too; unwelcome visitors (including Otherworldly ones) must make Willpower rolls (difficulty = Sanctuary rating + 3) to approach the area. Still, the place remains subject to the normal laws of physics; fires, explosions, floods, lightning strikes and large-scale combats will wreck a Sanctuary, devastating the stock and dispelling any wards or securities you've placed around the area.

# of Dots	What do you get?
	A small area, roughly basement-sized, stocked with a few essential items. Arcane rating: 1
	A decent space, the size of a large backyard; it contains a number of useful tools and ingredients kept in easy reach. Arcane rating: 1
	A spacious area, the size of a small house; it's stocked with food, a good selection of tools and materials and a small reference library. Arcane rating: 2
	You're the envy of your associates; a mansion-sized space contains enough esoteric materials, occult works and ritual spaces to host a small, active coven. Arcane rating: 2
	A tower, a small castle or large manor house holds your trove - anything short of the virtually impossible is within reach. You'll still have to leave the nest to acquire really esoteric materials (dragon's blood, unique grimoires, etc.), but almost anything else is right where you need it. Arcane rating: 3

NOTE: Size is tied directly to the # of dots you have, as is Arcane rating. You may not have a Sanctuary that would cover a whole building where part of that building is open to the public (i.e.: Business), or is a +hideout for your Faction. The Arcane rating will apply to the building, not just to the Sorcerer.