If it may help, sometime ago I concocted some house rules to
adjudicate Aura effects for DA:V and DA:M.
Here it is the DA:M version
AURAS: A Guideline for Dark Ages: Mage characters
Pursuit of magic forever marks and sets the mage apart from other
human beings (and sometimes, even animals). Each mage develops an
Aura, a subconscious projection of feeling and sensation tied to the
mage's way to do magic. The Aura affects the mage's social
interactions, making some actions easier and others more difficult.
The Aura grows in power as the character's dedication and mastery of
magic increases, as indicated by the character's Foundation rating.
Each Fellowship of mages is tied to a specific type of Aura, which
expresses in a sensation the main features of that fellowship's
Foundation and Pillars. Every Aura marks the mage's social
interactions in different ways, according the sensation it creates,
increasing difficulties for some types of rolls, and lowering them for
others.
Ability rolls generally influenced by the Aura are: Animal Ken,
Empathy, Etiquette, Expression, Intimidation, Leadership, Performance
and Subterfuge. Every fellowship's Aura influences the social rolls
according to a typical pattern, even if many mages may show some
variations in their Aura, according to the mage's personality,
outlook, interests, preferred social environment, typical uses of
magic. etc; e.g. a courtier Hermetic is more likely to have its Aura
make its Subterfuge rolls easier, while a Old Faith pagan cult priest
might get the same bonus to Empathy, and the Spirit Talker hermit to
Animal Ken. The Aura's pattern of effects should not be determined by
the Foundation and Pillar ratings. This determines the Aura's strength
instead.
Some mages show a more forceful Aura (called the Blatant Gift by
Hermetic theorists), which influences more strongly different types of
social interactions. Others sport a more subtle Aura (called the
Gentle Gift), which imprints less strongly in the minds of the ones
who meet the mage and lets more types of social interactions be
natural. Moreover, just like vampires, some mages do have auras that
are stronger or weaker in general intensity: this typically has the
effect of creating a greater or lesser alteration to the social
interaction normally affected by the Aura, at a given Foundation
rating, than other mages. In game, this is expressed by having the
Weak Aura or Potent Aura Merits (see below).
A Normal Aura generally causes a difficultly bonus to three types of
social Ability rolls, and a penalty to three others, according to the
Aura's type, with two more roll types remaining unaffected. Mages with
a Blatant Aura have a bonus to four types of social Ability roll and a
penalty to the other four types. Mages with the Gentle Aura get a
bonus to two Ability rolls, a penalty to two, and no bonus or penalty
to four types of social Ability rolls. The player chooses how to
assign the modifiers.
Ahl-I-Batini
These mages' focus on the self makes them appear always detached and
aloof. Their Aura appears as a feeling of distance, and others get the
impression that the mage is not paying attention or giving importance
to the matter at hand. Their detachment seems to give them an uncanny
knack to know the hearts of others, but their own true feelings and
intent come off as mysterious and difficult to read. Sometimes, this
feeling may cow mortals and beasts, or just annoy them.
Animal Ken: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Empathy: Bonus
Expression: Penalty
Etiquette: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Intimidation: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Leadership: Penalty
Performance: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Subterfuge: Bonus
Messianic Voices
The followers of the One God shine with divine glory. Their aura of
faith and devotion lends an unnatural strength to their words, and
others are typically moved to follow their advice, and open their
hearts to them. However, their very bearing of sanctity makes direct
threats and lies come out as hollow and false. Sometimes, their aura
lends them a feeling of righteous command that marks them for
leadership, and sometimes they appear too humble to be kings and
commanders.
Animal Ken: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Empathy: Bonus
Etiquette: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Expression: Bonus
Intimidation: Penalty
Leadership: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Performance: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Subterfuge: Penalty
Old Faith
Members of the Old Faith appear uncompromising and direct in their
approach to life and people. They have a direct affinity with the most
primal, brutal and wild aspects of nature, and this makes them look as
threatening and unwilling to back down. They find more easily to
intimidate and make people follow their commands, but also makes them
look unfit for polite company and the most refined aspects of life.
Often, their wild, primal aura makes these mages look enticing and
attractive to people and beasts alike, but sometimes it just drives
others away.
Animal Ken: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Empathy: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Etiquette: Penalty
Expression: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Intimidation: Bonus
Leadership: Bonus
Performance: Penalty
Subterfuge: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Order of Hermes
Mages of the Order radiate almost palpable power and arcane energy.
Hermetics mages seem to crackle and just about to explode with barely
contained energy. The sense of raw power that surrounds them gives
strength to their words, and makes easier to terrify others or make
them follow commands. However, their aura also makes them seem
unnatural and out of place when they try to be polite and fit in.
Sometimes, their power feels more like a subtle wind, which as entices
and lulls as it frightens, and sometimes as an hurricane that drowns
their attempts to be friendly or seductive.
Animal Ken: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Empathy: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Etiquette: Penalty
Expression: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Intimidation: Bonus
Leadership: Bonus
Performance: Penalty
Subterfuge: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Spirit Talkers
Being in proximity to a Spirit-Talker feels eerie, as the mage is
never truly alone. They seem to be constantly surrounded by a crowd of
invisible companions, who are constantly in motion, whispering barely
intelligible words, crawling fingers across one's back or blowing a
chill wind. Their Aura of general spookiness makes easier to
intimidate or command others, and often gives an uncanny strength to
their words: However, the mage does not look like as someone that is
comfortable to have around in polite company.
Animal Ken: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Empathy: Penalty
Etiquette: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Expression: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Intimidation: Bonus
Leadership: Bonus
Performance: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Subterfuge: Penalty
Valdaermen
The affinity of Valdaermen with pain, hardship and sacrifice infuse
them with an Aura of Emptiness. Their presence makes others feel
forlorn and empty, and they appear cold, lonely, and surrounded by
threatening presences, like dangerous beasts or harbingers of death
and suffering. The disconcerting feeling Valdaermen give off aids them
in terrorizing and cowing others, and making them follow their orders
and heed their words. However, their aura also makes them seem out of
place when they try to be polite and friendly. Sometimes, their aura
of distance seems to give them an uncanny knack to know the hearts of
others and make their true feelings and intent difficult to read, or
may just mark them as something dangerous and unpleasant to have
around.
Animal Ken: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Empathy: Penalty
Etiquette: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Expression: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Intimidation: Bonus
Leadership: Bonus
Performance: Bonus/Neutral/Penalty
Subterfuge: Penalty
The player should choose the pattern of the mage's Aura effects at
character creation, and whether he has a Normal, Blatant or Gentle
Aura. The Aura's effects should generally remain stable for the rest
of the mage's career, only increasing in severity as the mage's
Foundation rating grows. The ST might let the player rearrange the
pattern if the character undergoes great changes in his outlook,
personality, interests, and the way he typically uses magic: e.g. an
Hermetic switching to a different House.
Weak Aura (2-point Merit)
Foundation Rating Aura Modifier
1 0
2 0
3 +/-1
4 +/-1
5 +/-2
Potent Aura (3-point Merit)
Foundation Rating Aura Modifier
1 +/-1
2 +/-1
3 +/-2
4 +/-2
5 +/-3
Comments, opinions, suggestions are welcome.