conversations.from: system
conversations.value: *You were walking down the street, late for work, as usual. Your boss is probably going to fire you now, you were already on probation. Its not entirely your fault you think as you hop the bus, dodging around that same single mother with mousy brown hair and bright blue eyes, that seems to always be exiting the bus just as you get on. As she passes you, you swear she whispered something in your ear. You have no idea what but continue on to work anyway.*
  
  *After several soul-crushing hours of menial office labor in the cubicle labyrinth, you hop on the bus again, this time headed for the bar, and once again, you swear that the single mother is whispering something into your ear as you pass. Is she into you?*
  
  *You spend the better part of the night celebrating your unexpected promotion at work, dancing the night away with a pair of women you've never met before and probably never will again. You leave the bar moderately happy and then get on the bus again. There's that same single mother again. What is she doing this late out at night? And this time, you quite clearly hear what she whispers into your ear: "You're almost out of time." Out of time for what? You try to ask only to have the bus doors slam shut. You tell the driver that you've changed your mind, you want to walk home tonight. He shrugs and lets you off before the bus had gotten too far from where the strange brown-haired woman had gotten off. You quickly pick up her trail, remembering the smell of her perfume and somehow, you manage to follow it. Or is that right? You don't remember her wearing a perfume before... but there was definitely something about her that stood out to you. And then you realize, you never talked to her... so how on earth do you know that she's a single mother? Is that just something you assumed? Yet... why are you so certain of it...*
  
  *And then, your vision shifts, the city around you seems to open up to you with a vision that even the purest doses of LSD couldn't hope to match. Not that you'd know that of course. Everything around you seems to be resplendent with wonder and mystery... the lamp post seems to change into an ancient withered oak... and the woman appears, only now it is as if you are finally seeing her clearly for the first time in your life. She wasn't a brunette... in fact her hair is such a vibrant, dazzling shade of red that you are shocked you never noticed your error before, and her face seems to be that of a goddess. She tosses a small silver object at you, and as if guided by some pull of history, you catch it perfectly. its a watch... you study it for several minutes, as you can somehow feel all of its miniature inner-workings clicking and clacking away as keenly as you could your own heart beat. Then you look up again. The woman is gone, the cityscape has fallen away entirely, revealing only one great tower in the middle of a dark forest. You have never seen its like before, yet you feel as if you have finally found the place that will answer every question you've ever had about your every misstep... as well as reminding of the joys you experienced BECAUSE of those errors in judgement. You approach the tower... ready to carve your name into it, as if that were the most natural thing in the world to do upon seeing such a monumental structure.*
  
  ----
  That dear reader, and prospective player is the Awakening. The final trigger that flips a switch in your head and at last allows you to see the world for what it really is: a lie. A shadow of its former self... once all the world was rife with magic and possibility, but now... because of the hubris of a few ancient sorcerers, the world has been plunged into an eons-long Dark Age where magic is utterly unheard of, where things are not as they should be.
  
  And in this case, things are even stranger than before. This game is set in Seattle, Washington... but not the one you or I know today. Well, it was as we know it now before you went on your little soul trek to whichever Watchtower of the Supernal Realms your soul was drawn to as you took your first steps toward becoming a Mage.... but when you returned, you found things were a little different, and worse, only you and those who Awakened at the same time as you did seem to remember that things were ever different. That for instance, England was not the first territory that France conquered on its path to dominating most of the Western half of the world. That the Land of the Free never came to be, and instead is ruled under the thumb of France's mysterious, and very pale Queen. And above all... you don't remember various supernatural groups operating quite so openly as they are now. Vampires run the corporate world, the news is rife with tales of Changeling support groups and Hunters devolving into Slashers... and a host of Sin Eaters appear to have formed into the biggest terrorist ring in the world these days. What the hell happened? Was the world always like this and you never noticed? Are you going insane? Or did something very strange happen while your soul wandered to the Watchtower...
  
  WELCOME TO MAGE: THE AWAKENING.
  
  This game is based on the tabletop rpg of the same name, however I will be fully using Storium mechanics here... which means no dice rolling, no stat checking... and more importantly... that I'm going to be a bit loose with the magic system. Which means I will not be trying to adapt spells into asset cards, and instead, whatever your character should be able to do, they can... it just depends on whether you played a strength or weakness card.
  
  The only things I will require you to do during character creation aside from making your own strengths, weaknesses, subplots and a compelling character bio (which I'll take in any form, whether a detached bio or a writing sample or whatever... just be sure NOT to mention anything about your Awakening or magic in general, aside from maybe some odd things you had been noticing for a few weeks before the story starts.)...
  
  well, all I ask aside from that is the following:
  
  **Age:**
  
  **Physical Description:**
  
  **Likes:**
  
  *Dislikes:**
  
  **Friends/Family:** (this is absolutely required, as there can be plenty of interesting story possibilities here)
  
  **Occupation:** (the job you had before becoming a mage)
  
  **Path:** Leave this blank for now, wait until we go through your Awakening in-story.
  
  **Order:** Ditto.
  
  And any other details you'd like to mention outside of your main bio.
  
  Aside from that, card art isn't required but always welcome! (especially if you do what I try to do and use images that reflect how your character associates certain concepts with certain images)
  
  Oh... and you are free to make your own natures as well, but try to keep them to the broad archetypes that I did. No jobs, classes, races, whatever... all of that can change... but the idea with my natures is that they represent broad archetypes that can describe the core of your character's personality, who they are as a person rather than what they are or what job they have. You don't have to keep up the kind of "modern tarot arcana" feel I had been going for, but again, if you do it is greatly appreciated!
  
  And if you have any questions feel free to PM me or ask me here: https://storium.com/forums#/category/lfp/thread/pmy7zv
  
  EDIT:
  
  Changing this to NSFW because its a World of Darkness game, so it is very likely going to have graphic violence, sexual themes, and other disturbing or at least non-PG material involved.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You may or may not be an actual detective, but you do have the right blend of perceptive aptitude, tempered curiosity, and world-weary skepticism to be one. You've been around, you know the score... how things should work. Above all, you know people, at least you understand them best when they give in to the devils in their natures. You've seen the ugly face of humanity, and sometimes you wonder if you aren't just staring right at a mirror.
conversations.prefix: The Detective:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You are full of boundless curiosity that you often find difficult to contain, if you ever even find a reason to reign it in, as this trait has served you well in the past. As excitable as you might seem a times, you are also very grounded and tend to take things one step at a time, following a carefully thought out process so that you can better explain yourself, or better understand your own findings. You also tend to be governed by a strict code of ethics you have developed yourself over the years. However, to others you may sometimes come across as a bit standoffish, or only able to be engaging on a select few topics in your field of interest.
conversations.prefix: The Scientist:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You do not necessarily adhere to an established religion, or even hold any religious beliefs at all... but you do tend to follow a strict dogma of some kind for one reason or another. Whether god, humanity, or something else altogether, you have dedicated yourself to something bigger than yourself, aspiring to a grand goal that may take more lifetimes than you have at your disposal to fully achieve,  and while that may be frustrating at times, you are hopeful that one day, others will complete the work you played a part in.
conversations.prefix: The Devoted:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You are the very model of a modern commercial artist. Whatever your medium, your work demonstrates the many ways that you blur the lines... whether between science and art, genius and madness, between the human and the divine, modern trends and traditional stricture... and moreover that you accomplish this lucrative gray area by knowing *precisely* what chords to strike at the right time... and with the right burst of creative output.
conversations.prefix: The Architect:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Whether or not your work was entirely original, and regardless of medium, you've managed to profit the most from it. Your unexpected upswing of success has led you to swinging just as violently between pride, entitlement, shock, guilt, or possibly even regret. This swirling maelstrom of competing emotions has driven you headfirst into a number of impassioned, and certainly well-intentioned... if sometimes poor, life-altering decisions. You're a victim of your own success.
conversations.prefix: The Best-Seller:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Yours is a role of conflicting reputations... some see you as an inspiration, others as a simple rabble-rouser. Sometimes you are hailed as a heroic champion of human rights in one form or another... and sometimes you are seen as a dangerous influence. Whatever the truth is... you've learned to take others' expectations of your and use them to your advantage. 'Cause there is just no middle ground with you... they either love you or hate you... and better to know which one quick, so you know what to expect from those around you.
conversations.prefix: The Unionizer :
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You may hail from humble origins, and you may be used to having to clean up after a mess that someone else left you with, but you know that at some point the world owes you a break. Your life isn't usually that demanding, leaving you plenty of time to dream big... and you are still just innocent enough to truly believe that one day, you can make those dreams a reality. Though you might have a bit of a temper sometimes.
conversations.prefix: The Janitor:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: But I'd recommend it be something that can apply in more than one kind of situation.
conversations.prefix: Create Your Own!:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: But again, I'd recommend it'd be something that can apply in more than a few different situations.
conversations.prefix: Create Your Own!:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Ah, here I need to be more specific however... this game assumes that all of you want to change the world back to the way you knew it (though I certainly intend to leave room for you to change that later works for your character)... however, this subplot should represent something from your original timeline (the one we live in right now) that you want to preserve. This can be as grand as making sure that a key historical event happened the way it was supposed to, to something as personal as restoring a favorite cafe to its former glory. In either case, the idea is to give you a personal stake in the story.
conversations.prefix: Create Your Own!:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This is meant to represent your personal stake in restoring the true timeline that you remember. Whether as grand as preventing a war or as small as restoring a favorite cafe to its former glory... in either case it needs to have a personal edge... a clear ring of consequence if you fail.... or change your mind about restoring the "true" history.
conversations.prefix: Create Your Own!:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: It is proving difficult to focus on Ms. Hazel's instructions for that cool group project because you just can't shake the feeling that someone is watching you. Out of the corner of your eye, you can almost make out shapes in the shadows...
conversations.prefix: Being Watched (Jonny):
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: It *is* part of your job description. But, why won't your students just shut up? Wait... are their lips even moving?
conversations.prefix: Teach (Alexander):
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The skies have darkened, and there are no stars in sight. Sudden storm? Or something stranger...
conversations.prefix: How late is it? (Sanders):
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Oh, you're following the lesson all right... but you're more interested in the space between your classmates' fingertips... or between their feet and the floor... or between doorways... or hidden in every shadow... and... are some of the other dancers muttering under their breath? Are you high?
conversations.prefix: PAY ATTENTION! (Cethlenn):
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: All the power in the building has gone out, even the back-up generators... putting many lives in jeopardy. You can practically see the threads of their lives beginning to unravel...
conversations.prefix: Blackout (Sherry):
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You wouldn't be close to running late for work if it weren't for this blighted traffic jam! MOVE IT PEOPLE! Wait... are those really people driving the cars? Are those really cars?
conversations.prefix: Get to Work! (Steven):
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A stranger has begun to show you the way on your path to enlightenment... do you follow the path they show you without hesitation? Or do you continue to cling to what you once believed to be "the real world"?
conversations.prefix: Awaken:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You need to get to your tower. You don't know how you know that, but you just know it. Every fibre of your being is screaming at you to get there and sign your name into the Watchtower's stones. The problem is actually getting there... for your path is dark and full of terrors.
conversations.prefix: Watchtower:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This guy is an elite of the Holy Queen's military. Facing just one of these guys is as impractical as taking on an entire army. And he's after you. Better get going!
conversations.prefix: The Queen's Chevalier:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: There are plenty of them... but now you have magic on your side... so maybe you'll stand a chance? One way to find out...
conversations.prefix: Deal with the Authorities:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Now isn't the time to worry about why she's helping you! She's the only person not trying to kill you right now! Hurry! Follow her before the cops unfreeze!
conversations.prefix: Follow the Kid!:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Night is fast approaching, and you *do not* want to be around for what'll come out to play when that happens. Don't lose that girl!
conversations.prefix: Get to the safe house!:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: For some reason, that's her name. She seems nice enough, but she seems to be  hiding something.
conversations.prefix: Mad Max:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're brilliantly smart. In school you were that one kid that everyone asked for the answer. Now, out of school you brilliance is serving you well, by keeping you ahead of the pack. 
conversations.prefix: Intelligent:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The phase *Curiosity kills the Cat* applies all the time to you. You look in every cranny, and crack in attempts to find something you haven't yet. Then you want to learn about. It is truly amazing how you are alive.
conversations.prefix: Curiousity:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This world has so many secrets that need to be exposed . Yet nobody is looking for them, and accept reality as it is. You on the other hand have decided that it is time for you to search for the link fossil.The revealing of the fossil will hopefully start an idealist revolution.
conversations.prefix: Discover the Fossil:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Like the Musical's conductor you prefer a set schedule in which you can follow, and if need be control. This skill can be applied to physical life helping you avoid potential dangerous situation in which are out of your hands. On the other hand you obsessive sense of control tends to make little friends outside of your particular group. 
conversations.prefix: The Conductor :
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Concentration is one of the things you are good at. From mastering a note, to memorizing a layout of a specific piece.  
conversations.prefix: Focus:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You prefer to have things set in action, or something that is easily follow able. You're not the kind of person known to change on the fly. 
conversations.prefix: Rigid:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This is going to be your first real conducting job. Better make it a good performance.
conversations.prefix: Make your debue:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The world has wronged you. You are hurting, and no one truly understands. They say they do, but they're lying. But that's okay. You've learned to survive. You've learned to do what you have to do. You can take care of yourself. You don't need anyone. Right?
conversations.prefix: The Wounded Innocent:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You realized early on that you're role in life was never to lead, and you've accepted that wholeheartedly. Maybe it's your lack of ambition, or maybe it's your unassuming nature, but you've found yourself suited to supporting the other people that take the limelight. As a result, people tend to take you for granted or question your competency. While that can make you feel bitter or frustrated, those feelings are aimed towards the person in question, not your situation. 
conversations.prefix: The Assistant:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're perceptive and patient, and often use these skills to guide the situation and/or help out. 
conversations.prefix: Observant:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You don't particularly enjoy being in the center of attention, so you tend to let a situation play out before intervening.  
conversations.prefix: Quiet:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Unfortunately, the path to true love never ran smooth. Specifically, obstacles such as student loans, long distance relationships, and odd-working hours. 
conversations.prefix: Get Married:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You have faced harship and trials before, and you will face them again. One thing you know: you are going to make it through. You are going to survive. You are going to find a way through. You always have...and you always will.
conversations.prefix: Determination:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You've learned not to believe in others. The only one you can count on is yourself. But what if you aren't strong enough on your own?
  
  You're just going to have to be...right?
conversations.prefix: Suspicious:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You don't have any big goals or ambitions, not right now. You have your work cut out for you just keeping going day after day. Maybe you'll find something more in life later, but for now, you don't have time for dreams.
conversations.prefix: Living Day to Day:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your life is a day-to-day mix of boredom and bullying with no sign that things are going to change. You're looking for a way to pull yourself out of that and make a better life. No one's going to do it for you.
conversations.prefix: Escape the Cycle:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The ability to come up with ideas that other people might not consider. Creative, outside-the-box thinking.    
  
conversations.prefix: Ingenuity:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Tends to think before acting. May also get caught up in the thinking when action might be a wiser course of action.    
  
conversations.prefix: Methodical:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're new to the city and the only person you know is the realtor who's renting you the apartment and your boss.  You really need to meet more people and make Seattle your home.
conversations.prefix: Settle In:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Life is about balance. Balance is neither good nor evil, it just is. Your belief in the balance of life lets you make the hard choices and live with the harsh results, even if they aren’t the popular ones. You know that an evil choice can result in good, and a good choice can result in evil. The best you can do is balance it all out.
conversations.prefix: Balanced:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Passionate, driven, focused. All words used to describe you. But perhaps the most accurate description came from someone who grew up with you "burning brightly". What he really meant was burning hot, fast, and soon to fade. You can be almost reckless in the abandonment or single-mindedness with which you pursue your goal once you’ve made a decision. You will die if that's what it takes to succeed.
conversations.prefix: Burning brightly:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Seattle has been very lonely for you. This is the first time you've been away from the orphanage and you've yet to make any of the permanent connections that support and console you. Yet you keep trying.
conversations.prefix: Family:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You used to have a family. Then they died. Sometimes you wonder if there really is something like a soul. If they really are watching over you.
  
  You'd give anything to see them again. *Anything.*
conversations.prefix: Missing Pieces:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Capable of looking beyond the surface, of seeing the "truth" behind it all. The world, and people, are but a series of layers, as you look beneath each successive layer you come closer and closer to the truth behind it all.
conversations.prefix: Layers:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You can suffer pain, and odd things for a good amount of time. You continue on in hopes of being able to finish despite all of the pain that you are taking.
conversations.prefix: Enduring:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Being an architect should mean you have a better-than-average grasp of lines and locations, but you haven't traveled enough to know your way around.
conversations.prefix: New to the City:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Beneath the surface face that we all wear lies the true person.
  
  You've always had a knack for picking up on the person beneath the mask once you got to know someone.
  
  What's happening now has just taken it a step further.
conversations.prefix: Beneath the surface:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Doesn't matter what time is it you always make it on time of a few min before
conversations.prefix: Never late:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Either your job is getting to you or your mind is playing tricks what ever it is your pretty sure your going insane
conversations.prefix: Going insane:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: While you've been trained to keep a cool head during unusual situations, seeing unusual things and having people pass through you is probably a good enough reason as any to freak out. 
conversations.prefix: Panicked:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Compassion and large heart tends to be a common trait among hospital workers.
conversations.prefix: Sympathetic:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You don't panic unless the world is literally falling down around you.  And it's not quite that bad.  Yet.
conversations.prefix: Calm:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're currently in a place in which it has no explanation. This scares you, not only that but this place is filled with jump scares. 
conversations.prefix: The Unexplained:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You may be determined, but your body struggles to match your spirit. You are smaller and weaker than many of the things you will face, and when forced to physically contest them...it generally doesn't go so well.
conversations.prefix: Small:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You can sense the rhythm in everything although it appears that there is none.
conversations.prefix: Rhythmic :
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your job is all about lines and numbers and, sometimes, colors.  You know what to look for when trying to differentiate between things.
conversations.prefix: Architect:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You have the ability to control, and create emotions within yourself or another being.
conversations.prefix: Feeling Manipulation:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You are experiencing something new for the first time, and you don't know how to proceed. When asked questions about it you decided to be honest. 
conversations.prefix: Clueless:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Sometimes being young is a positive. With less of an entrenched worldview, Jonny's able to adapt more to changing situations.
conversations.prefix: Adaptive:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: When things get to be too much, you start to react in an almost manic manner. Talking a lot, not thinking clearly, trying desperately to find an anchor.
conversations.prefix: Out of control: