Rules

Most mystical powers fall into the categories of Garou Gifts, Awakened Magic, Fey cantrips, vampiric Disciplines, or ghostly Arcanoi. The category of Numina (singular Numen) comprises those supernatural potentials that exist among mortals — humans who haven’t had a First Change, an Awakening, an Embrace, or who have died and still linger beyond the lands of the living.

Though not as powerful or effective as those powers available to truly supernatural beings, Numina can often accomplish a lot. Some mortals naturally possess Numina, acquiring it at birth; usually, a relative had the reputation of having the “second sight” or being a “witch” or “medicine man.” Others learn them, usually in secret, after years of training.

Numina fall into three categories: hedge magic, psychic phenomena, and True Faith. Players use freebie points during character creation to purchase Numina. Later they may improve these abilities through experience points or, with Storyteller approval, learn new Numina. Having more than one type of Numina, however, is extremely rare. A talented psychic may possess Psychology and Animal Psi, both of which belong to the psychic phenomena category, but will rarely know any of the hedge magic paths.

Numina cost a lot to learn, and operate under different and, often, mutually exclusive paradigms. Learning too many mystical powers from disparate sources puts a strain on the character’s mental health. See the following chart for costs for purchasing psychic phenomena and hedge magic with freebie points and for purchasing or raising them with experience point, True Faith increases only through Storyteller awards for good roleplaying.

Hedge magic encompasses different aspects of mystical ability, including Brewing (potions, etc.), Cursing, Healing, and Summoning. Each path has five ability levels as well as specialized rituals. Hedge magic differs from Awakened Magic because practitioners do not need to have an Awakened Avatar, only some innate ability to use their will to shape reality through the use of potions, rituals, and particular belief systems such as totemic magic, mountain hoodoo, and herbal magic. While more time-consuming than Awakened Magic due to its reliance on complicated casting rituals and complex preparation, hedge magic can accomplish some very powerful results.

The Way of Spirit Chasing, described below, is especially meaningful for Kinfolk hedge mages. Other Ways useful for Kinfolk appear in this section, including a Healing Way different from the psychic phenomenon form of healing described below.

Psychic phenomena involve the use of mental powers. People who possess psychic powers may have a reputation for having “the second sight,” or for “dreaming true.” Characters with psychic abilities rarely possess more than one type, just as magically-gifted individuals rarely have more than one type of Numina. Each phenomenon has five levels of ability, with each level indicating greater effects than the one before. The psychic phenomena Empathic Healing and Soulstealing appear below.

Hedge Magic Ways

Truth Faith mirrors a character’s commitment to a spiritual belief system, such as Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, paganism, or just about any mortal faith that involves a transcendent deity or reality. This Numina’s rating ranges from 1-10, with each level granting more powerful effects deriving from the character’s Faith. True Faith is most powerful against the undead, but it also confers powers useful when fighting werewolves, mages, or changelings. It can also create miracles.