Magician

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I. Magician

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To live is not to breathe but to act.

Overview

The Magician Arcana is the #1 Major Arcana, and is full of dynamism. It is usually represented by an actual magus carrying a wand and demonstrating a connection, or even mastery between the human and divine worlds.

The Magician is often associated with action, activity and power, all active elements. However, the Magician is more than just action and spontaneity; mythopoetically it represents someone having just started on a journey towards enlightenment and, having just learned of their abilities, are delighted with what they're capable of doing. To this end, the Magician represents power of a latent kind, the power of potential. In this it represents one's inner talents and abilities, ones that the querent would be able to unleash if only something weren't holding them back: themselves. It is only through insight and experience that a Magician will be able to undo their own foibles and unleash their incredible power.

Magicians often resemble the young scholar who, having just started absorbing information on a topic, arrogantly believes themselves to be an expert. This is a reoccurring motif of characterising the Magician, and other comparisons might be a talented but lazy person, or someone who has been able to coast on pure talent for so long that they've forgotten how to work hard to develop their abilities when faced with a greater challenge. Indeed, overestimating their current ability is a defining trait of the Magician, and it's not surprising to see them described as people too clever by half, or as people who rush in where angels fear to tread: simply put, people who act instead of thinking, relying on their own ability.

There's a whiff of tragedy to the Magician; often their confidence and ability are compelling and admirable, but it is often these very things that lead to their downfall. Poignant examples of this are Prometheus, whose clever tricks benefit humanity, but also seal his fate at the hands of Zeus; or the Jack-o-Lantern, a lazy but brilliant con artist who tricks Satan himself and forces Satan to promise not to take his soul to hell; but as Jack's cunning had led him to too much sin during life, he was also disbarred from Heaven and thus forced to wander the world as a purgatorial spirit. Thus the element of fire is fitting for the Magician; not only is it a primal element, but using it fruitfully involves a careful balancing act, lest one's control slip and the fire burn precious things.

Thus it is no surprise that on the reverse, the Magician represents destructive impulsiveness and inexperience. Indeed, the Magician started off as a trickster ideal, and when reversed, is easy prey for other tricksters who know how to manipulate the Magician, who wears their heart on their sleeve. On the other hand, a reversed Magician can also represent someone in denial of their own abilities, someone who believes themselves average despite their great potential.

Example Inner Conflicts for a Magician might be a habit of acting before thinking, which inevitably leads to disaster; a constant desire to show off and impress others with one's own cleverness; having a brilliant mind, but is too lazy or disinterested to study; someone with great and creative ideas, but only works on them for short bursts of time before moving onto something else; and struggling with being shown up by other people.

Combat-wise, the Magician is a very aggressive Arcana. It specialises almost exclusively in fire abilities, and when push comes to shove, no one can set things on fire like a Magician. They also have a bevy of agility-based abilities, such as Technique Attacks or evasion abilities. However, the Magician is lacking somewhat in reliable defensive abilities, and thus tends to be most suited at constantly attacking and moving. Despite their great power, Magicians have a tendency to burn through SP reserves quickly, and there's nothing as sad or easily destroyed like a Magician without SP.

Outside of combat, the Magician can be a rather flexible Arcana. Agility and Intelligence open Magician up to some of the broadest skills, allowing the Magician to dabble broadly if they so wish, although they have to rely on other Arcanae if they wish to specialise.

Arcana Qualities

MAGICIAN
Characteristic Bonus Character Aptitudes Persona Aptitudes Magic Characteristic
+5 Agility and Int Agility, Intelligence, Offense Offense, Fire Intelligence

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Arcana Exemplaries

Exemplaries
Exemplary Evoker Rank 1 Evoker Rank 4 Evoker Rank 7 Evoker Rank 10
Furious Smirk Whenever you successfully hit an enemy weak to Fire with a Fire Element Ability you may spend a Realisation Point. On your next turn, you may use any Fire Element Ability you possess instantly, taking up no actions. If this attack also successfully hits an enemy weak to Fire, then Furious Smirk's effect carries over to the next round. It persists until you fail to hit an enemy weak to Fire with a Furious Smirk Fire Ability. Furious Smirk-assisted Abilities now use half SP/TP. Once per Furious Smirk chain, if you fail to hit an enemy weak to Fire with a Furious Smirk Fire Ability, Furious Smirk persists regardless. Furious Smirk-assisted Abilities now use one third SP/TP.
Infinite Potential Select one Aptitude you do not already possess. You now gain this Aptitude. You may change your Infinite Potential Aptitude for a different Aptitude you do not already possess. You may change your Infinite Potential Aptitude for a different Aptitude you do not already possess. You may change your Infinite Potential Aptitude for a different Aptitude you do not already possess.
Thirst for Excitement You gain a +20 bonus to any Personal Time Action test you make, so long as it is the first time you've performed that Action this week. The bonus increases to +40. You may now perform two non-combat Investigation Actions per round of Investigation. You may now add half your IB or AB to Degrees of Success to Personal Time Action tests benefitting from Thirst for Excitement.

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Arcana List

The Cat-Demons of Japan
Details
Grade: 1 Name: Nekomata Aptitudes: Fire, Technique Ineptitudes: Elec
Elemental Attributes
Imp Rend En Xp Fire Ice Elec Wind Light Dark
- - - - Resist - Weak - - -
Physical Attributes and Weapons
Traits: Animal Bond (Felines, 1), Hopper (1) Wounds: 4+TB
Weapon Name Weapon Type Range Damage Penetration Qualities
Cat's Claws Melee Melee 1d10+AB Rend 0 Light Blade
Powers
Agi, Swipe, (Sukukaja)

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page revision: 90, last edited: 22 May 2016 12:44
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