Contacts (Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary)
Definition
Contacts are people who provide information, tips, and rumors. Unlike Allies who take active risks on your behalf, Contacts are sources of intelligence: a bartender who overhears conversations, a clerk at City Hall who can look up records, a beat cop who shares patrol schedules. Contacts answer questions but generally do not put themselves in danger for you. For mages navigating the Ascension War, Contacts provide vital intelligence without the Paradox cost of using Correspondence or Mind magick to gather information. A well-placed Contact in a Technocracy front company can provide early warning of operations. A Contact in the local occult community might relay rumors about Nephandi activity. Information is power, and Contacts are its most reliable mundane source.
How it works
Tips
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Contacts and Allies?
Contacts provide information; Allies take action. A Contact tells you the Technocracy is planning a raid next Tuesday. An Ally helps you set up defenses or provides a safehouse. Contacts are lower-commitment relationships that mainly involve the exchange of information.
Can Contacts know about the supernatural?
Some can. A Contact in the occult community might know about supernatural events without understanding them fully. Most Contacts are ordinary mortals who provide mundane information, but the Storyteller may allow Contacts with limited supernatural awareness.