Wonder Creation Guide
Creating a wonder is a special project. While it does not cost experience points, it is expected to cost time and effort, and those efforts are expected to be reflected in role play. The character is working hard to achieve something significant, and that should be reflected in scenes.
Trinkets
Trinkets are technically not wonders. They are mundane items that a Mage has augmented with Magick to be superior, but still in a mundane way. To create one, there is no particular level sphere required. Different effects may be used to give the character a supernatural advantage in augmenting an item, in combination with mundane talents, skills, or knowledges.
For example an engineer may pair Intelligence + Science with Matter 2 in order to create remarkably good metallic alloys. A painter may pair Perception + Artistry with Entropy 1 to spot flaws in a work, and carefully work to create a perfect portrait. The sky, and the Mage’s spheres, are the limits.
A Trinary Deck is a particularly difficult trinket to make, requiring specialized equipment and expertise.
The steps to create a wonder
- Calculation of the cost: Look at the Wonder Purchasing Guide (see above) to calculate the number of dots of Wonder it would take to purchase the item being created. This number is used later.
- Preparation of the foundation: High-quality, focus-appropriate base objects or materials should be used to create the base item. See Book of Secrets page 161 for the benefits of good materials on Infusion later. Exactly how this step is accomplished will vary with focus and item. When creating a Primer, thirty (30) successes are required.
- Infusion of energy: Using Tass or Quintessence, in any way the mage so chooses, energy must be infused into the Wonder. This is a Prime 2 effect if Tass or avatar Quintessence of a matching resonance is used, Prime 3 to pull energy from Tass or the Mage’s own avatar, Prime 4 to pull quintessence by sacrificing materials, and Prime 5 to sacrifice living things. Number of successes required: Three times the Wonder dot cost of the item. Fetishes and Talens do not use an Infusion.
- Purification: This optional step implements some sort of focus-appropriate means of creating the correct environment for investment. A Prime 2 effect must be at the core, with two successes allowing for one level of purification to be completed. Three levels of purification, each done with a separate Prime 2 effect, are allowed. See Book of Secrets page 161 for the benefits of purification on Investment later.
- Investment: It is at this point that the Mage adds the Magick to the item. The specifics of this step vary with the kind of wonder created. See below.
Charms and Gadgets
Investment for a Charm is a vulgar Prime 2 effect if a matching Quintessence resonance was infused in the item, Prime 3 normally, or Prime 4 + Life 3 if a living base is used. Additionally the spheres of the intended effect are required. Three successes per dot of Wonder are required. The Mage receives a number of the Charms equal to 2x the Arete level, which is the highest sphere of the effect.
Artifacts and Inventions
Investment for an Artifact is a vulgar Prime 4 effect. Additionally the spheres of the intended effect are required. Three successes per dot of Wonder are required.
Talismans and Devices
Investment for an Artifact is a vulgar Prime 4 effect. Additionally the spheres of the intended effect are required. Three successes per dot of Wonder are required. Investment of a Talisman requires one point of avatar Quintessence per success, on top of the Quintessence from the Infusion step. At the end, one point of permanent willpower is also invested.
Primers
Investment for an Primer is a vulgar Prime 4 + Mind 3 + Spirit 3 effect effect. The Mage creating the Primer must have Arete 5 or greater, and invest two permanent Willpower points. Three successes per dot of Wonder are required.
Grimoires and Principiae
Investment for a Grimoire is a vulgar Prime 4 + Mind 3 effect. Three successes per dot of Wonder are required. One permanent point of Willpower must be invested.
That Mind 3 requirement is lowered to Mind 2 if the Mage has Art, Expression, Science, or Hypertech 4 or greater. Which abilities qualify is Focus dependent.
Fetishes and Talens
For Fetishes and Talens, the spirit is what is invested into the Talen, whether willing or unwilling. An unwilling temporary binding (for a Talen) is a Spirit 3 effect. An unwilling permanent binding (for a Fetish) is a Spirit 4 effect.
What if the spirit is willing, you ask? Then we’re not talking about an effect. We’re talking about chiminage and a bargain.
For Talens, the mage receives a number of the Talens equal to Arete level.
Relics and Enhancements
Investment in a Relic or Enhancement is a Prime 5 + Life 5 effect, plus the spheres required for the desired Effects. One permanent point of Willpower must be invested. Then, at the end, the Relic or Enhancement must be bound to the organism somehow (such as with a blessing, or a surgery).
Matrices and Periapts
Investment in a Matrix or Periapt requires Prime 3 + Life/Matter 5, depending on the kind of base material or being used. 10 points of Tass must also be invested.
Botches
Note that botches in the process can result in flaws being added to a Wonder that are not compensated for by lower success requirements.
Primal Utility
Infusion and investment of Wonders requires one less dot of Primal Utility than Prime. Thus Prime 3 Gadgets may be ‘purchased with Tass/Currency’ at Primal Utility 2, and Inventions or Devices at Primal Utility 3. Matrices require Primal Utility 3.