The Arcana of Forces deals with the creation and manipulation of the Fallen World’s various natural energies. A mage knowledgeable in this Arcanum can fly, become invisible, hurl lightning, or cause earthquakes. It is one of the most blatant of the 10 Arcana, and as such is ideally suited to its largely unsubtle wielders, the Obrimos.
- Influences: Electricity, fire, gravity, heat, kinetic energy, light, magnetism, nuclear radiation, sound, sunlight (note that sunlight is different from regular light), weather.
Nature and Power
The Arcanum of Forces is the Gross Arcanum of the Supernal Realm of Aether, a realm it shares in common with the Arcanum of Prime. Here, Forces can be seen in unadulterated splendour, not limited in its scope by the nature of the Fallen World. Great sheets of fire light the ground and lightning tears through the skies, as wind howls and thunder roars, and the ground shifts and cracks violently. Thankfully for life and the universe, in the Fallen World, the power of Forces is diluted. But it still has tremendous power.
The burning of the sun and stars. The orbit of the planets. The slow rotation of the galaxy. Almost the entire universe can be associated at some point with the power of Forces, and on a smaller scale, so can the systems that keep the Earth running. Tides and the seasons are dependent on the same cosmic reactions that Forces holds sway over, and it has influence over the weather, heat, light, the movements of the tectonic plates, and many other systems, too.
On a lesser scale, many of the devices of mankind run on electricity or fire. Even at the lower levels of the Arcanum, a mage can manipulate the workings of these machines. And it's well suited for any combat a mage may become embroiled in. The ability to hurl fire, shoot electricity, or stab at opponents with blades of kinetic energy, can make short work of most opponents, especially when combined with invisibility or the ability to see in the dark. With sufficient levels of power, even things such as the true light of the sun or the radiation of an atomic blast can be created and controlled by the mage. Mages can speed themselves or others up, or slow them down. They can create rain, wind, storms, and even earthquakes, tornadoes, or tsunamis. They can meddle with gravity, fly, and manipulate objects from a distance. And those are simply the powers of a master. The powers available to an archmaster or higher are unknown, but one thing that can be certain is that they must be truly terrifying in scope.
Levels of Proficiency
Initiate (●)
At the first level of mastery, an Initiate of Forces gains the power to alter his perception to see in the dark, to increase the range of light and sound perceptible to him, or to detect energy as visible phenomena. Minor influence can be exerted over heat, light, and sound, altering their flow and direction. At this level, however, the mage cannot alter the intensity of the heat or light or the volume of the sound, nor can these forces be created from nothing. The mage can also pick up radio, electronic, and data signals and convert them into intelligible sounds.
Apprentice (●●)
With the second level of mastery, an Apprentice of Forces can grant his increased perceptions of energy to others. He can now increase or decrease the intensity of heat or light and the volume of sound, though these forces still cannot be created from nothing. Minor influence over fire and electricity is now possible; the mage can make existing fire and electricity move under his command, though they can neither be magnified and diminished nor created from nothing. Inanimate objects can be made invisible. The force of a blunt blow can be manipulated into a stabbing point. Radio signals can be altered to broadcast whatever the mage desires, and he can create a shield of energy to disperse, deflect, or halt physical attacks and rob energy-based ones of their power.
- Spells: Activate Police Band, Aether Net, Alter Frequency, Circuit Television, Control Heat, Control Light, Control Sound, Control Traffic, Electronic Eye, Eyes of the Matrix, Fireproofing, Friction Reduction, Influence Electricity, Influence Fire, Insulate, Invisibility to Machines, Invisible Object, Invoke Password, Kinetic Blow, Nullify Combustion, Spare Sleepers, Transmission, Unseen Shield
- House Ruled: Fireproofing, Nullify Combustion, Unseen Shield
- Banned: Activate Police Band, Spare Sleepers
Disciple (●●●)
The third level of mastery allows a Disciple of Forces to complete his mastery of heat, light, and sound; he is now able to create these forces from nothing. He can now bolster or weaken electricity and fire, though he still can't create them from thin air. He can bestow his shield upon others, and turn himself invisible. The mage can also call down lightning from a stormy sky, manipulate objects from a distance, attack with orbs of kinetic energy, or turn bullets, thrown rocks, and arrows aside. At this level, he gains the ability to redirect the flow of magnetism and radiation.
- Spells: Autonomous Servant, Bestow Unseen Shield, Call Lightning, Complex Transmission, Control Electricity, Control Fire, Curse of Electrical Rebellion, Cutting Scream, Empowered Voice, False Speech, Floating Step, Instill Shock, Light Mastery, Modulate Speech, Optimize Kinetic Attack, Personal Invisibility, Sorcerers Retribution, Sound Mastery, Stay the Invisible Fires, Supernal Hack, Telekinesis, Telekinetic Strike, Turn Projectile
- House Ruled: False Speech, Floating Step, Optimize Kinetic Attack, Sorcerers Retribution
- Banned: Cutting Scream
Adept (●●●●)
An Adept of Forces with the fourth level of mastery has solidified his power over fire and electricity, able to spin these forces from thin air and hurl them from his fingertips. He may make non-destructive alterations to the weather, speed up or slow down objects or himself, and perform limited flight via levitation. His telekinesis is now expanded to work on living beings, and he may increase the force of friction to make any wind or motion deadly. The mage may now bestow his invisibility on others, bolster or weaken extant sources of magnetism or radiation, and transform one type of energy into another.
- Spells: Bag of Winds, Bestow Invisibility, Burst of Speed, Change Weather, Containment, Control Velocity, Fiery Transformation, Firebolt, Firestarter, Friction Knife, Gravity Shift, Influence Magnet, Invisible Fire, Kinetic Ripple, Lashes of Fire, Levitation, Quench the Invisible Fires, Sensory Deprivation, Thunderbolt, Transform Energy, Unseen Hand
- House Ruled: Bag of Winds, Firestarter, Invisible Fire, Kinetic Ripple
- Banned:
Master (●●●●●)
At the fifth level of mastery, a Master of Forces may now bestow his levitation and bursts of speed on others, and create directly harmful weather effects such as tornadoes and tsunamis. He may create earthquakes and control the direction or power of gravity, cause EMP pulses, and create or destroy magnetism or harmful radiation. The mage can now also fly, and as a final note, can create true sunlight, not just mere light, extreme deadliness to vampires and all.
- Spells: Adverse Weather, Bestow Burst of Speed, Bestow Levitation, Complete Invisibility, Control Gravity, Create Sunlight, Earthquake, Electromagnetic Pulse, Eradicate Radiation, Flight, Increase Gravity, Magnetize, Nullify Gravity, Radiation, Velocity Mastery
- House Ruled:
- Banned:
Conjunctional Arcana
A Master of both Forces and Life can turn himself into a being of living energy in the same manner as a mage knowledgeable in Life can transform his own body into that of another creature. If the mage is also a Master of Matter, he will be able to transform his equipment along with him, but his projectile weapons will become useless.
A Disciple of Forces and Initiate of Mind can devote part of his intellect and his power over kinetic energy to performing a task remotely, whilst he goes and does something else. If he is a Master of Mind, he can create a seperate mind for the force, so he can perform strenuous tasks without risk of losing concentration on the spell. An Apprentice of Space can make the force function effectively far away from the mage.
