Hey, first of all, thanks for the question, you are asking in the right place 😄! – Sorry for the long waiting, I wanted to make a decent enough explanation.
I'll try to condense everything in a light to read text and go from easier to understand to more complex + some lore (and philosophical - it was too much text so I didn't explain the philosophical part of Mage). Hope it's clear enough and if someone has a doubt, feel free to ask in the comments! (Or ask directly too)
Too much text coming!
The main concept:
First of all, let's begin with the core concept of Mage the Ascension – The reality is shaped by what people think that is true.
When the majority of people believe in something and it applies to everyone, it's called Consensus, but some special people, the Mages, can shape reality by their own beliefs thanks to their strong willpower, and the more natural it looks the easier it is for them.
And don't think that a Mage is a Gandalf style wizard, They are person with a strong believe that might sound slightly fantastic but some will find it believable; A martial artist that do superhuman feats but says that it's just discipline and training; a person that says that can see ghosts; that friend that always have good luck so you wouldn't be surprised if they tell you something really convenient happend to then; And of course, the more Gandalf style ocultist wizards.
But how does magik works?
If it's magical or fantastical thinking (which most humans have in one or anothet way), possibly a Mage can do it for real if they belive that is real.
But here's the catch: Remember the Consensus?, imagine it as the flow of a river. If a Mage follows what the popular belives, they move easily to manipulate reality, but if the swim against this consensus, it's their idea versus the belief of the majority, so it would be really hard to swim against the current of all that people's beliefs.
How does it works mechanically speaking in game?
Basically a Mage has 2 core elements: Spheres and Arete.
Spheres: Determines in which areas of reality the Mage has control and how much domain he has over them. (1 Sense - 2 Improve - 3 Control - 4 Create - 5 Master).
Arete: Determines how strong is the Mage's Magik, how conscious he is about the universe (and maximum knowledge about the spheres). In game it also determines how many dices the character rolls when doing a Magik.
The 9 spheres of reality:
Correspondence: Connection between elements and dimensions of space.
Entropy: Decay but also luck and fate.
Forces: The elemental energies (Fire, electricity, gravity, inertia, etc.).
Life: Heal and alter living beings.
Matter: Unanimated objects.
Mind: Everything related to minds and the consciousness of being.
Prime: Understanding of the primordial energy that within all things.
Spirit: Otherworsly habitants.
Time: The time.
Now for real! – How to do Magik
1.- The Mage first identity what she want to do.
(Ex. Break a wall).
2.- The Mage determines the tools she gonna use to do it.
(Ex. Her bare fists).
3.- The Mage determines HOW is she doing it.
(Ex. In this case, she will use the martial art knowledge she archived through years of training at the Akashayana dojo and the Force sphere to increase the streng of her punch to be able to break a solid wall which otherwise would be impossible for a human – Basically she is using Magik in a way she believes is possible and doing something a normal human wouldn't be able to do).
4.- Roll Arete to determine if your Magik works and a characteristic+skill for the action itself.
The factioooons! 🎵🎶
There are many factions in the setting, but there are 3 (or 4) main factions.
The Council of the 9 Traditions: The main characters, they do more mystic or fantastic Magik and fight to control the consensus so their Magik still possible in this world.
The Technocracy: The main rival of the traditions, originally the main villain but now more of a gray antagonist. They are also playable. They try to control the consensus too and use technology that is "illuminated" – basically technology that is so advanced that is Magik even if they will NEVER say it that way. They fight every supernatural creature they find to protect humanity from them.
The Nefandii: The main evil guys and real villains of the plot. They are infernalists and want the descense and destruction of humanity instead of the Ascension because they say the universe original state is chaos because they are mad. They are NOT gray, they are all sociopaths so they are not and should never be played.
The forgotten 4th group: The Disparate Alliance: A group of Mages' factions that hate the Technocracy but don't like the more conservative view of the 9 Traditions so they founded they own group but are not too many of them and they are usually hiding.
Extra: The Merouders: Mages that went mad and now destroy reality wherever they go, and the reality hits other Mages instead of them so they are dangerous but are individual Mages, not a faction exactly.
Okay so this is really extence already so I'll explain the groups in the two main playable factions to finish.
The 9 Traditions:
Akashayana: Mystial martial arts
Celestial Chorus: Religious mystics from monotheistic religions.
Chakravanti/ Euthanatoi: Followers of the Karmic will.
Kha'Vadi/ Dreamspeakers: Shamans and tribal Mages.
Virtual Adepts: Computational and telecommunications Mages.
The Order of Hermes: Traditional high Mages (mostly medieval European practices) who organize themselves in Houses depending of their main practice.
Sahajiya/ Cult of Extasis: Uses human feelings and strong experiences to see beyond perceptible reality.
Society of Ether: Mad science.
Verbenae: Witchcraft and pagan practices like druidcraft.
The Technocratic Union:
Iteration X: Mechanic and computer science.
New World Order: Control of information, propaganda and secret agencies.
Syndicate: Here comes the money, money money money money money. (Economy in general).
Voide Engineers: Protect the world form creatures from the outer space – Astronomy and geography.
Epilogue and how to learn more:
The two main factions are fighting to dominate the consensus and this is a big part of the plot.
The Nefandii are causing chaos too and all the other factions hate them.
- If you want to start playing I suggest to start by watching youtube videos that are simpler than reading the game manuals.
- After that you can download the free Quick guide for Mage the Ascension 20th anniversary to understand the basics.
- In Whitewolf Wiki you can read more about lore and factions.
-If you really want to read the core book, I suggest starting for the MTA 20th anniversary edition because it has a lot of the lore of the game, all the main factions and is the most complete version because it unifies lore and mechanics from all the previous versions.
If the person that made the question or anyone else have a specific question please feel free to ask. I wanted to explain as much as I can without making the text too complex but if anyone have more questions, general or more specific, I will be happy to answer them 😄.
is there a modern au fern? also do u have any headcannons for him? :)
Yyyeeeeaaaaasssss ok ok ok :D
So Finn and Fern are twins but they didn't grow up together and didn't actually know the other existed until recently becaaaaauuuse they're identical, so when Martin Mertens did his whole abscond escapade with Finn (and just. left Fern I guess??),, Minerva couldn't actually tell which one Martin had taken and which was left at the house. So she raised him as Finn and never talked about the incident.
Later on when Finn-turned-Fern met real Finn and they were able to piece together their family history and all that, Fern chose his new name.
I also headcanon Fern as non binary, definitely somewhere on the aro/ace spectrum, and also neurodivergent although I'm not sure where exactly he'd fall within that umbrella
Welcome to the Modern Time Adventure AU! It’s basically an interpretation of what Adventure Time might be like if it took place nowadays. Before getting into it you may want to check out this FAQ to figure out some basics of the AU. Enjoy!
Spoilers?
Yes yep yeah I've included events and characters that appear in both the original show, distant lands, and a teensy bit from the comics, so if you're looking for something spoiler free, this isn't it.
Plot?
As far as I'm concerned, there isn't really one. Mostly it's everyone being stupid and having fun but I hope to also included some sideplots based off the original show plots, such as certain relationships, events or scenarios happening.
What's different?
Honestly, I think the biggest thing that's changed is the timeline. It's my AU so I decided I can do whatever I want, so the occurrence of the events slightly different .. but other than that there are some small changes with character specifics that aren't really worth mentioning in detail here.
Does Finn lose his arm in this AU?
Short answer, yes. Long answer, I do feel it's important to Finn's character and arc that he loses his arm, however the basis of the AU is the gang having fun and I didn't want to make it too angsty. Also, Finn is only 15 here and the current thought is that he won't lose his arm until he's older, around age 17 like in the show.
About me:
Hiya my main is @mispelled and Adventure Time has become really special and close to my heart recently, I know I'm late and the fandom is pretty much dead but. I don't really care, I'm gonna have fun anyway :)
(warning: this is going to be very long. You've been warned)
Character Specifics
Finn Mertens (he/him), 15. Idiot teenager who lives in the treehouse in Jake and Lady's backyard. Jake often sleeps there too because Finn will sometimes get nightmares. Likes plants. Favorite color is blue. Aro ace. Finn and Phoebe dated for a bit and then had a fight and broke up, didn't talk to each other for three months, and since then have made up, now they are besties.
Bonnibel Bubblegum (she/her), 17. Very studious, serious about her future. Favorite subjects in school are science and technology, but also enjoys home ec. Has a pet mouse named Science. Loves Marceline's songs but wouldn't admit it during the time they weren't talking. Questionable morality. Autistic and has anxiety. Favorite color is pink. Ace lesbian. Lives with her Aunt Lolly and Uncle Gumbald, cousin Chicle and foster siblings. Has a twin brother Neddy who doesn't live at home. Helps out in the candy shop most days after school
Jake Dogg (he/him), 32. Dad Humor ™. Also fart jokes. Plays the viola. Sneezes loud as heck. Gets very passionate about things he cares about. Likes going for long walks. Bisexual. Is Legit the best dad and brother ever. Loves his kids and his wife and his brothers sm!!! Isn't officially married to Lady but calls her his wife very often. Stay-at-home dad but tends to do random jobs during the day while most of the kids are at daycare/school. Finn's official best friend and bro. Fave color is yellow but dark blue is a close second
Phoebe Flame (she/her), 15. Hot temper, daddy issues. Has an older brother named Flint but isn't close with him. Found a passion in freestyle rapping and often raps with Neptr. Finn called her "flame princess" while they were dating (because of her last name and her temper) and he sometimes still uses the nickname to antagonize her. Favorite color is orange. Bisexual. Growing up her father was super overprotective and low-key abusive. She ran away from home for a bit but they made up eventually and now have a tense relationship on the mend.
Marceline Abadeer Petrikov (she/they), 18. Acts angry and punk but is actually a major softie. Writes music and takes inspiration from mitski, girl in red, chloe moriondo, cavetown and the red hot chili peppers. Had a vampire phase in middle school and still has a soft spot for YA novels. Favorite color is red. Bisexual. Has played in a band but has come to realize she prefers writing alone. Has insomnia which is when she writes her songs. Ambidextrous, which explains her ability to play bass with both hands.
Simon Petrikov (he/him), 58. Former Professor of Archaeology. Likes penguins. Plays the drums. Getting over a mental breakdown involving amnesia
Fern Campbell (he/they) 15. Finn's lil brother. Only reconnected with Finn recently because neither of them knew the other existed. Autistic. Nonbinary. Has a lot of angst™. Feels like he needs to one-up Finn at all times and live up to his reputation. Questionable morality and anger issues. Has a green thumb and really likes plants. Favorite color is green.
BMO Dogg-Rainicorn (he/they/she), 5. Adopted kid of the Dogg-Rainicorn family. Very imaginative, likes to play pretend. Has an imaginary friend, "Football", and plays soccer in an after school program. Is in Lady's first grade class
Pepper Mint Butler (he/they), 6. Very smart (especially for his age). Likes to use big words and will sometimes swear. He's That Weird Kid who knows random facts about creepy things. Plays DnD. Draws comics (which the rest of the cast likes to read and discuss at length). Lives at the Gumbald Foster Home. Is in Lady's first grade class.
Neptr Dogg-Rainicorn (he/him),11. Adopted kid of the Dogg-Rainicorn family. Super smart. Small for his age and uses a wheelchair most of the time. Loves pie and is in Tree Trunk's good books, often hangs out at her pie shop. Beatboxes with Phoebe.
Lady Rainicorn (she/her) 31. Works as a first grade teacher during the day. Mother of seven. Such a good mom and teacher. Speaks Korean at home, but English while teaching. Pansexual. Best friends with Bonnie and they'll sometimes get together to talk shit and eat junk food.
Charlie Dogg-Rainicorn (she/her), 6. Likes witchy stuff, mythology and tarot cards. Twin to Jake Jr. Is in Lady's first grade class
Jake Jr Dogg-Rainicorn (she/they),6. Daddy's girl. Twin to Charlie. Is in Lady's first grade class
T.V. Dogg-Rainicorn (he/him), 4. In the same dare care as Sweet P
Viola Dogg-Rainicorn (she/her),2. Very sweet, wants to be an actress.
Kim Kil Whan Dogg-Rainicorn (he/him),6 mon. Literal baby
LSP (she/her), 16. High school junior. Gossip girl. Often acts low-key bratty, sassy, attention-seeking and willfully ignorant, and enjoys texting on her phone but actually has depth that she doesn't like to show on the outside. Marceline's insider informer
Frieda (they/she), 27. Very open to different things, likes trying new hobbies. Always working on a different project. Very involved with helping Susan and has become a regular visitor at the Amnesiac Support Group. Sapphic and in a relationship with Susan
Susan Strong (she/her), 27. Super loyal and has strong intuition about who to trust. Likes picking people up. Has a golden retriever personality. After a fight with Frieda as teenagers, she stalked off and was involved in a car accident, leaving her with amnesia and aphasia. Subsequently ended up in the same ward as Simon and after a whole bunch of shenanigans was able to reconnect with Frieda several years afterwards. Hasn't recovered her memories but has strong feelings of intuition and remembers knowing Frieda from before. Sapphic and in a relationship with Frieda.
Cadebra Daniels (she/her), 6. Pep's #1 best friend (but he'll deny it). Loves sleight of hand magic. Super hyper and has ADHD. Is in Lady's first grade class
Tiffany Oiler (he/they/she), 23. Plays the viola. Old friends with Jake who acted as an older brother figure until Finn came along. Has a mini rivalry with Finn about being Jake's bestfriend/brother. Has soon come to respect Finn and now they get along, if somewhat grudgingly. Has been adopted by Joshua and Margaret Dogg
Blaine Jay (they/them), 6. Spader's best friend. Has become grudging friends with Pep and Cadebra, and often feels like they need to earn Spader's attention. Is in Lady's first grade class
Spader Petersen (he/him) 7. Frenemies with Pep. Used to be really stuck up but has taken it down a notch since then. Has sensory issues with noise so he almost always wears noise cancelling earphones. Carries around a rock named Larry. Is in Lady's first grade class
Betty Grof (she/her), 54. Simon's fiance and Marceline's mother figure.
Huntress Wizard (they/she), 16. The emo/scene kid at high school who has a mutual platonic crush on Finn. She ends up bonding with Fern after they realize how much they have in common. Aro
Prismo (they/he), 33. Fashion designer, has his own homemade pickle brand, "Prismo's Homemade Artisanal Pickles". Plays the banjo. Best friends with Jake from their college days when they dated. Pansexual. Somehow always has an answer to every question, though it's not always correct. Will often get the gang to model his clothes for his brand
Jermaine Dogg (he/him), 34. Jake's biological brother, Finn and Tiffany's adopted brother. Artist and keeper of family heirlooms.
Mr Pig (he/him), 64. Married to Tree Trunks, Sweet P's adopted father
Tree Trunks (she/her), 65. Pie shop owner and Sweet P's adopted mother
Punchy Gumbald (he/him), 43. Bonnie's uncle. Runs a collective foster home and small candy store, "Candy Kingdom". Husband to Lolly, father to Chicle
Sweet Pig-Trunks/Sweet P (he/him), 3. Adopted kid of the Pig-Trunks family. Has nightmares. In the same dare care as Viola
Chicle "Crunchy" Gumbald (they/he), 19. Bonnie's cousin. Six foot four. Self conscious about his laugh. "The funny one™". Away at college most of the time, doesn't always feel comfortable being at home with the foster kids.
Lolly Manfried Gumbald (she/he), 42. Bonnie's aunt. Runs a collective foster home and small candy store, "Candy Kingdom". Wife to Punchy, mother to Chicle
Hope Lemongrab (he/him) 11. Earl's little brother. Foster kid of the Gumbald Foster Home.
Earl Lemongrab (he/him) 16. Autistic. Foster kid of the Gumbald Foster Home. Needs glasses but never wears them.
Martin Mertens (he/him) 40. Finn and Fern's scumbag biological dad. Con artist. Has brain damage.
Neddy Bubblegum (he/him), 17. Bonnie's twin brother. Autistic. Currently residing at a separate care facility
Hunson Abadeer (he/him), 50. Marceline's scumbag biological dad. Business man™.
Minerva Campbell (she/her) 39. Finn and Fern's biological mother. Doctor.
Margaret Dogg (she/her) 63. Jake, Jermaine, Finn and Tiffany's mom. Runs a detective firm with Joshua, her husband.
Joshua Dogg (he/him) 62. Jake, Jermaine, Finn and Tiffany's dad. Runs a detective firm with Margaret, his wife.
Billy (he/him) 35. Finn's celebrity crush
Ok phew that's over for now
Specific Situational things that are important:
Canyon (she/they) 33. Billy's girlfriend
Finn and Fern were born to Minerva (doctor) and Martin (former con artist) Mertens. Incident happened where Martin and Finn were confronted by Marten's past clients (people he'd cheated), they ended up running. Finn was found and adopted by the Dogg family, Fern grew up alone with his mother who never told him about his brother. Martin returned to his con artist ways. Minerva tried to search for her missing family but never found them, and tried to move on with her life.
The Mertens
Finn and Fern didn't know the other existed, being separated as babies. They eventually met by accident when they bumped into each other at [an event]. After the fact, Fern took matters into his own hands and stalked Finn down via the internet.
Mertens brothers reunion
Joshua and Margaret Dogg run a private detective investigation firm. They have four children- Jacob, Jermaine, Tiffany Oiler and Finn Mertens
The Doggs
Jake and Lady are not officially married but live as if they are. They have five biological children, Kim Kil Whan, Charlie, Viola, Jake Jr and T.V., as well as adopted children BMO and Neptr. Finn lives with them, usually opting to stay in the tree house. Jake is a stay-at-home dad but tends to do random jobs during the day while most of the kids are at daycare/school. Lady works as a first grade teacher
The Dogg-Rainicorns
Punchy and Lolly run a collective home where they care for foster children. Some of the residents of the home include Pep, Earl and Hope Lemongrab, Bonnie and (formerly) Marceline. The Gumbalds also own a small candy store called "Candy Kingdom" where the kids will help out after school.
The Gumbald Foster Home
After Marceline's mother died, Simon, who was a close friend of Marcy's mom, took her in as his own. Marceline lived with Simon and Betty, his fiance, until soon after taking her in, Simon began experiencing a mental breakdown/psychotic episode that lasted a couple months, and is still recovering. Betty attempted to reunite Marceline and Hunson Abadeer, who wasn't interested in raising his kid. After the attempt ended in disaster, Betty was unable to care for Marcy and longer and she was transferred to the Gumbald Foster Home while Simon was committed to a psychiatric ward. Only when Simon was on the road to recovery and was released from the hospital did Marceline return to living with him and Betty.
The Simon/Marceline relationship
Simon had a mental breakdown/psychotic episode which ultimately resulted in dissociative amnesia. Marceline created an insert oc for him called The Ice King to try and help them both while dealing with the situation. Simon did get professional help but the amnesia remained for quite a while. He now attends an Amnesiac Support Group, which Susan also attends.
The Ice King Incident
Marcy and Bonnie were good friends throughout elementary school and the beginning of middle school, until they started to fall apart because of Bonnie adopting more responsibilities in her life (including helping her brother Neddy, dealing with family dynamics, the foster home, and accepting responsibilities at the candy shop) and as a result, Marcy felt ignored and left out especially because that's when she needed a friend (while going through her own issues with Simon's mental downfall). The two had a big fight and didn't talk for a few years but they're patching up their relationship and aren't dating yet, but both have feelings for each other.
Marceline/Bonnie relationship
Kara and Frieda were good friends as teenagers but after a fight, Kara stalked off and was involved in a car accident, leaving her with amnesia and aphasia. She subsequently ended up in the same ward as Simon and after a whole bunch of shenanigans involving changing her name to Susan, they were able to reconnect several years afterwards. Susan hasn't recovered her memories but has strong feelings of intuition and remembers knowing Frieda from before.
