Mage: The Podcast

Today we’ve got something special—two deep dives into the world of magic and role-playing! We sit down with Douglas Rushkoff—media theorist, writer, and host of the Team Human podcast—to explore how RPGs, especially Mage: The Ascension, serve as tools for reality manipulation and self-discovery. We talk about the changing face of magic in society, its impact on public figures, and how Storytellers can weave magical sensibilities into their campaigns. Then, we chat with Richard Metzger, lifelong explorer of the occult and host of the Magic Show. He takes us on a journey through the cultural evolution of magic, its place in pop culture, and intriguing ideas like radionics that could bring a whole new layer to modern RPGs. Show Notes Douglas Rushkoff Vampire: The Masquerade, GURPS, and Magic: The Gathering. Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV. Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea and Taoist philosophy Douglas’s book,Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires Donald Tr

Adam sits down to talk with ⁠Bill Bridges⁠, developer and author for Mage the Ascension. Bill talks about the early days of White Wolf, his work on Werewolf & Mage, his thoughts on Mage's directions over the years and Mage the Awakening. Check out his work on ⁠Fading Suns⁠.

We are sad to announce Terry Robinson is no longer with us.

A bonus episode featuring some wisdom from the Syndicate.

Twenty one years after the last Tradition Book, Lore of the Traditions gives an update to the Nine Traditions. Adam and Pook walk through where each Tradition is in the 2020s, their favorites, and what they wish they saw more of. Lore of the Traditions on DriveThruRPG

Mage isn't the only game with weird metaphysics. Frank and Tormsen from 33.3 FM join to talk the metaphysics of Unknown Armies, their favorite supplements and magic types, and of course the Comte de Saint Germain. 33.3FM on Soundcloud Unnatural Phenomena - Unknown Armies resource site Atlas Games - Official purveyor of Unknown Armies Break Today - Supplement about Mak Attax Unknown Armies 2e Core One Shots for Unknown Armies 1e Unknown Armies Discord

The hsien of Changeling sat oddly with their cousins, how else could they be imagined? Sebastian Noh, author of grand In the Realm of Gods and Dreams joins to talk Half-Devils, Living Prayers, and their interactions with the mages of The Golden World. In the Realm of Gods and Dreams on Storyteller Vault Kindred of the East: The Relentless Age Sebastian's previous work

Curseborne is Onyx Path's new urban fantasy game powered by Storypath Ultra now on Kickstarter. So what can steal from it? Eddy Webb and Matthew Dawkins join to talk curses, liminalities, epochs, dread powers, and magic. Curseborne Ashcan - Prelim version of game The game's Kickstarter page The Curseborne webpage Eddy Webb's webpage Matthew Dawkin's webpage

Want more systematic magick, Hermetic houses, options for the divine and infernal, new types of duels and ways to build chantries? Try Ars Magica! David Chart joins to talk the Backerkit for the new Definitive Edition. Ars Magica Definitive Edition on Backerkit - Back it here Preview of first three chapters - Get a peek Previous MtP Ars Magica Episode

What would it be like to wrapped in occult weirdness in the 1930s? Trail of Cthulhu 2e answers and we talk with the authors about Azathoth, veal prices, dancing, and weird science in Oklahoma! On Backerkit October 15! A nice Trail of Cthulhu settting bundle on DRTPG Trail of Cthulhu on Backerkit - Register to get the free Quickstart Gar's Website Ken Hite on Twitter Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff - Lovingly known as KARTAS Previous Trail Episode New Lovecraft God - Where Ken and Robin create Qotha-Nhur’rin, the Destruction at the Heart of Creation Borellus Connection - Giant Delta Green Campaign

Not every bit of lore persists through a game's history and today we're talking the things shed after first edition and how to bring them back like active Oracles, node-seeking spiders, Nephandic pure forms, and more. Masters of the Art episode - Where we talk about Exemplars Infernalism: The Path of Screams episode - Talking about demons' special hate for some religious figures. Mage: The Ascension 1e - the book that started it all

One shots give you a taste of another game but what can we take from them? Terry and Pook talk choice bits from Cyberpunk, Through the Breach, Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast and more. Cyberpunk Red Through the Breach Yazeba's Bed and Breakfast Everyday Arcana Stealing Stories for the Devil Twilight Inscription Changeling the Podcast

What would you change in Mage? Today we asked Darker Days Radio's Bryce Perry, Jackalope Live Action Studio's Matthew Webb, Plastic Age Production's Travis Legge, and author James Sambrano what they'd change. Dark Days Radio Jackalope Live Action Studio Plastic Age Plays on Patreon James on Patreon Travis on Startplaying.games Gulag Archipelago

Mages are human. Love and romance are parts of their lives, so how do we add them? Friday Stout and Sebastian Yūe join to talk their project How to GM Romance which gives systems for romance plus plenty of ST advice. How to GM Romance on Backerkit Sample Pamphlet Sebastian's Info Twitter: http://twitter.com/sebastianyueWebsite: http://sebastianyue.ca/ttrpgs Friday's Website: https://www.dollarsanddragons.com/

What would you do if you knew the world were in its last days? Our Brilliant Ruin from World of Darkness writers Justin Achilli and Rachel J. Wilkinson asks this question and we talk tools, methods, inspirations, and ideas for gaming in a world that's dying. Our Brilliant Ruin site Our Brilliant Ruin on DTRPG Rachel J Wilkinson's site Studio Hermitage site

The Hsien are said to be the changelings of East Asia...but that's...a stretch, so why not use them in your Mage game instead? Adam and Terry talk Shinma, hanumen, suijen, and tasty tasty dragon's nests in Land of Eight Million Dreams. Changeling the Podcast's Land of Eight Million Dreams episode This book

Sources run the gamut for how many mages are running around the World of Darkness, how should your game change based on their commonality? Terry and Bryce talk low mage counts games and how to run them. Ascension's Landscape - Terry's book of storyteller advice Hidden Lore - 2e overflow book with mage count Malcolm Sheppard's Distribution - Former writer's opinion on how many mages

Metaplot can be hard to approach, so how do pick what to add? How do you fill in what happened since Avatar Storm? Terry and Michael talk Avatar Storms, the Sphinx, STV supplements, and many many factional plot hooks. The Riddle of the Sphinx - Michael's book on adding plot between Revised and M20 Strange Yesterdays - Alternatives to the 2e/Revised metaplot

The Year of the Lotus added East Asian elements to many gamelines, what can Mage players take from the supplements for other lines? Adam and Terry talk the Shih, the Shen, and ass tattoos in World of Darkness: Demon Hunter X. World of Darkness: Demon Hunter X - This book Land of Eight Million Dreams - Next book

Mages can live centuries with minds both powerful and fluid, how do we feature memory as a central story idea? Bryce and Terry talk the Mind Sphere, strategic forgetting and There Is No Antimemetics Division. There Is No Antimemetics Division (CC) - One of the inspirations for the episode. Also available in dead tree form SCP Foundation - Wiki that also contains information on some of the memetic entities mentioned Nibiru - Billed as a science fiction game of lost memories Mummy the Curse - Another game heavily featuring memory