General Discussion

Ah I get it now. Like what are the odds that everyone happened to be checking their messages at that same moment, especially since I did describe the wifi as going off for a moment as well? Fair point, not everyone checks messages constantly, maybe that's my assumed stereotype of kids constantly whipping out their phones to take photos, check messages, playing with their phones rather than paying attention in class. I'm gonna assume only a few kids mute their notifications forever, some kids have their notifications on all the time. And when the wifi came back on, perhaps a flood of pings came in as result!

As we edit our character creation, can I invite us to think a bit on who their BFFs are, and mitigate that if you have backgrounds or flaws that suggest you are a loner with very few friends, or generally anti-social and outsider-ish.

I've written to suggest that while it's common for various student groups to have a shared chat, not every student uses it equally. It is certain though, that after an event like this, it's likely that phone notifications keep pinging throughout the hall. Students are reacting and talking, whether face to face next to each other, or instantly on text and chat, or wanting to post on social media.

Also, this scene is coming to an end once this showcase wraps up, and I will end this intro chapter. Your open-ended possible leads are:
- speak to a teacher or teachers (Marston, Corbin, Veritas, Strom, Chase, Mendes are on site or one of the teachers in your background whom you trust and confide in)
- spy on a teacher or teachers (what's Marston's staring at? why is Strom angrily texting? where is Veritas taking Daniela? where is Blackwood and why did he not make the announcement as principal? who are Necht and Nixon?)
- speak/spy with other students (Daniela? Cass? Zane? Emily's friends, Sabrina? Kirk? the absent Alex?)
- explore school premises (Minsoo has a lead, and possibly Kyle)
- somehow regroup for the first time? (you're all likely going home unless you intend to meet after school. or meet when you come to school tomorrow, have lessons as a class, or when you come back to the booths to pack up)

Excellent pre-empting KCC! You are indeed in a group together at the start of the next chapter, for reasons. Organically, plot-wise, the group chat was a chance for all of you to talk together regarding this matter for the first time (you meet at an inn! a digital one!)

So this last part of this chapter may involve people splitting up (Myra and Torrance have already gone off). I will be wrapping up by directing everyone back to their individual threads momentarily.

I see the PCs are branching off to do various things on their own, so when that happens, I'll be directing you to go back to your individual threads. If you're still in the scene, then you remain in the main thread. Hope that's not too confusing.

That's correct, we were holding a moment as things wrapped for this chapter, which closes with everyone being shooed out of school.

As a session zero, I hope this chapter gave everyone some sense of what this game will be like as we continue. As an introduction for newer players and a refresher for experienced ones, we managed to:
- get used to the central mechanic of attribute + ability die rolls
- begin to test how the magic system works (Arete number of dice, based on what Spheres you have), and more importantly, the idea of requiring or combining different Spheres for different effects

This chapter was meant to roleplay the awakening of your character, which can be momentous or subtle. For some, they are using magic even if they haven't understood it properly, for others, it's a realisation that they are doing something differently from the norm, for still others, it's a understanding that they are beginning to realise. Any one of these can be considered the process of awakening. You can also refer to the vision I offered as an indicator of awakening as well; only those who are no longer Sleepers received the vision.

Your characters are still a tad underpowered for the moment compared to regular starter PCs in Mage. That will be remedied by the end of the next chapter.

I will introduce the notion of Traditions in the next chapter, and also begin to require the need for a focus in order to use magic.

As to us speculating how much plot is dedicated to social interaction versus exploration versus combat, I can confidently say exploration will play a larger role coming up, and if there's 'combat', it'll be the chapter after.

Posting on the main thread first!

Individual counselling to follow. ;)

And I realise with so many individual stories and thread overlaps, there's a great chance some important information happens but not everyone gets to hear of it. (I'll assume the default, which is that PCs what to share the info that collectively impacts the story, unless it's private stuff). I'll try to post some summaries along the way, here, or possibly Discord because that's easy for quick summary updates.

I hear you PhoenixScientist, not to worry it wasn't a demand, more an offer to help everyone keep track.

Eg here's a bit of another clue, this one from when Wren eavesdropped on Veritas and heard something above Alex's girlfriend, and a mention of a sanatorium.