Play as a transcendent immortal in 40K, and attempt to salvage from the slow end of days the possibility of a future.
ARCANA (40K Perpetual Quest)
- Thread starter The Bird
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Arcana Selection
The Bird
tEM IS GUD...RITER!
- Location
- In that den of villains and scum, OKLAHOMA
Perpetual.
An existence eternal. Not even at their height could the Dominion of Asur with their Matrices of Rebirth and their Flames of Renewal and infinite esoteric biomancies claim the same, claim to have true, absolute immortality: merely a pale shadow of it borne through their gods, technologies, and sorceries. And yet, things that would have (and in the end, did) destroy the children of Isha merely inconvenience these entities.
Throughout the histories of the galaxy, these enigmatic beings have never been more than a handful in number: the Pious. The Trickster. The Seven in One. The Lord in Rags. The Circle of Khonsu. However, their hand can be felt throughout the weave of history: indeed, I suspect that He Who Resides at Terra was perhaps one of their number. A leader, perhaps? Chief among that small tribe?
Such a question would likely have to be levied before Our Lord himself, I suspect, unless I manage to find a living perpetual to tell me.
However, for all my questing, I have come to realize some foreboding questions lie before me.
All my knowledge of these immortals is third-hand, indirect. Scattered, partial remains, the result of souring data-web after data-web, salvaging journal after journal after journal, sifting through near infinities of information. Fragmentary accounts, all of them. I have yet to encounter yet a single one of these transcendant beings. Where did they go? Was their immortality not as absolute as I thought? Did they venture out of the galaxy, to other worlds than these? Could they be within hiding, deep within our societies and institutions, waiting to emerge once more when the Emperor returns to the Materium to guide us to glory?
Where did they go?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
You were an existence above, and yet still apart from your fellow man. Throughout the aeons, your kind had acquired many labels: Eternals. Demigods. Nephilim. Each of them encapsulating merely one aspect of what you were. What you could do. In this modern age, the handful who know of you term you Perpetual, those cursed with the gift of immortality, for without death, there is no escape from the horrors of this galaxy.
However, no Perpetual was the same, and among perpetuals, there were a select band known for their power, their actions capable of shifting the very fate of the galaxy and altering the axis of destiny. One such being was the Emperor, who had forged the mightiest empire in the galaxy, assembling vast and mighty legions using his near unfathomable knowledge, ability, and charisma. Such a being, however, was rare indeed.
However, rare does not mean unique, and indeed, on one world, distant and far, another such being was born, not yet aware of the legacy they had inherited, nor of the trials and tribulations that would accompany it. First came The Emperor, Arcana of Authority.
Now came you, little Arcana.
What Arcana are you?
[ ] Magician, Arcana of Talent: Despite what the name might imply, your potential does not lie in the esoteric and otherworldly, though you are not without ability in that sphere, but rather, your talent lies in your ability to master the skills, talents, and aptitudes of mankind, and hone them to supernal degrees: given a knife and a tree, a master carver might craft something exceptional. Given a knife and a tree, you could carve something of near mythical quality. Gain Arcana: Magician, halving all skill requirements, increase progress gained from all skills, and increasing the cap on all skills by two stages (to Heroic to Mythical). Start with Sphere: Talent. Start with one skill at Heroic.
[ ] Moon, Arcana of Intuition: Your talent lie in dreams. The ability to gain knowledge not through rigorous searching or interrogation, but through divination. Not the corrupted, treacherous divination of the children of Isha, or those among the corrupted who divine by trawling through the weavers loom, but something more powerful, more true. Gain Arcana: Moon, revealing expanded consequences from your decisions as well as the ability to perform minor acts of clairvoyance without invoking the Warp, as well as the Intuition (Minor) talent. Start with Sphere: Divination.
[ ] Devil, Arcana of Pacts: A deal is only as good as someones ability to enforce it. Therein lie your ability: not only are your pacts imbued with a degree of power in order to enforce themselves, with you lying as the final arbiter, from these deals lie your source of power, taking and giving in measure based on what you wish to give and what you desire for yourself. And woe betide any who decide to BREAK a pact... Gain Arcana: Devil, allowing you to make Ephemeral Pacts, mystically enforced contracts, deals, and trades that can, among other things, give and take intangible qualities from those who agree to them. Start with Sphere: Curses.
An existence eternal. Not even at their height could the Dominion of Asur with their Matrices of Rebirth and their Flames of Renewal and infinite esoteric biomancies claim the same, claim to have true, absolute immortality: merely a pale shadow of it borne through their gods, technologies, and sorceries. And yet, things that would have (and in the end, did) destroy the children of Isha merely inconvenience these entities.
Throughout the histories of the galaxy, these enigmatic beings have never been more than a handful in number: the Pious. The Trickster. The Seven in One. The Lord in Rags. The Circle of Khonsu. However, their hand can be felt throughout the weave of history: indeed, I suspect that He Who Resides at Terra was perhaps one of their number. A leader, perhaps? Chief among that small tribe?
Such a question would likely have to be levied before Our Lord himself, I suspect, unless I manage to find a living perpetual to tell me.
However, for all my questing, I have come to realize some foreboding questions lie before me.
All my knowledge of these immortals is third-hand, indirect. Scattered, partial remains, the result of souring data-web after data-web, salvaging journal after journal after journal, sifting through near infinities of information. Fragmentary accounts, all of them. I have yet to encounter yet a single one of these transcendant beings. Where did they go? Was their immortality not as absolute as I thought? Did they venture out of the galaxy, to other worlds than these? Could they be within hiding, deep within our societies and institutions, waiting to emerge once more when the Emperor returns to the Materium to guide us to glory?
Where did they go?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
You were an existence above, and yet still apart from your fellow man. Throughout the aeons, your kind had acquired many labels: Eternals. Demigods. Nephilim. Each of them encapsulating merely one aspect of what you were. What you could do. In this modern age, the handful who know of you term you Perpetual, those cursed with the gift of immortality, for without death, there is no escape from the horrors of this galaxy.
However, no Perpetual was the same, and among perpetuals, there were a select band known for their power, their actions capable of shifting the very fate of the galaxy and altering the axis of destiny. One such being was the Emperor, who had forged the mightiest empire in the galaxy, assembling vast and mighty legions using his near unfathomable knowledge, ability, and charisma. Such a being, however, was rare indeed.
However, rare does not mean unique, and indeed, on one world, distant and far, another such being was born, not yet aware of the legacy they had inherited, nor of the trials and tribulations that would accompany it. First came The Emperor, Arcana of Authority.
Now came you, little Arcana.
What Arcana are you?
[ ] Magician, Arcana of Talent: Despite what the name might imply, your potential does not lie in the esoteric and otherworldly, though you are not without ability in that sphere, but rather, your talent lies in your ability to master the skills, talents, and aptitudes of mankind, and hone them to supernal degrees: given a knife and a tree, a master carver might craft something exceptional. Given a knife and a tree, you could carve something of near mythical quality. Gain Arcana: Magician, halving all skill requirements, increase progress gained from all skills, and increasing the cap on all skills by two stages (to Heroic to Mythical). Start with Sphere: Talent. Start with one skill at Heroic.
[ ] Moon, Arcana of Intuition: Your talent lie in dreams. The ability to gain knowledge not through rigorous searching or interrogation, but through divination. Not the corrupted, treacherous divination of the children of Isha, or those among the corrupted who divine by trawling through the weavers loom, but something more powerful, more true. Gain Arcana: Moon, revealing expanded consequences from your decisions as well as the ability to perform minor acts of clairvoyance without invoking the Warp, as well as the Intuition (Minor) talent. Start with Sphere: Divination.
[ ] Devil, Arcana of Pacts: A deal is only as good as someones ability to enforce it. Therein lie your ability: not only are your pacts imbued with a degree of power in order to enforce themselves, with you lying as the final arbiter, from these deals lie your source of power, taking and giving in measure based on what you wish to give and what you desire for yourself. And woe betide any who decide to BREAK a pact... Gain Arcana: Devil, allowing you to make Ephemeral Pacts, mystically enforced contracts, deals, and trades that can, among other things, give and take intangible qualities from those who agree to them. Start with Sphere: Curses.
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Character Sheet
The Bird
tEM IS GUD...RITER!
- Location
- In that den of villains and scum, OKLAHOMA
Ulysses
Occupation: Archaeologist
Aptitude: 3
Fate: 4
Skills:
Social:
Logos (Trained)
Pathos (Trained)
Ethos (Trained)
Kairos (Expert)
Teardown (Master)
Networking (Trained)
Combat:
Marksmanship (Trained)
Finesse (Trained)
Force (Trained)
Tactics (Expert)
Gunslinging (Trained)
Tech:
Jury-Rig (Trained)
Repair (Expert)
Trade:
Survey (Heroic)
Appraisal (Master)
Forgery (Master)
Lore:
Ork Psychology (Journeyman)
Ork Culture (Journeyman)
Ork Physiology (Trained)
Imperial Theology (Trained)
Tarrghus (Journeyman)
Spheres:
Talent
Traits:
Perpetual: Unknown to you, you are a perpetual who has yet to discover their status. Immunity to Death. ???
Suspicion: You have an unnatural origin, making people who know of it more wary of you, more likely to assume the worst. -10 to all Social Rolls when dealing with those who would know of and care about your origin.
Arcana: Magician: A manifestation of talent given flesh, though your path might be paved with skill, where it leads will be decided by your own choices and how you use your gifts. Halved requirement to raise all skills. Increased progress for all skill growth. Skill caps raised by two stages.
Jack of All Trades I [Magician Trait]: Specialization was for insects. Gain additional Occupation slot with its own Aptitude score.
Occupation: Archaeologist
Aptitude: 3
Fate: 4
Skills:
Social:
Logos (Trained)
Pathos (Trained)
Ethos (Trained)
Kairos (Expert)
Teardown (Master)
Networking (Trained)
Combat:
Marksmanship (Trained)
Finesse (Trained)
Force (Trained)
Tactics (Expert)
Gunslinging (Trained)
Tech:
Jury-Rig (Trained)
Repair (Expert)
Trade:
Survey (Heroic)
Appraisal (Master)
Forgery (Master)
Lore:
Ork Psychology (Journeyman)
Ork Culture (Journeyman)
Ork Physiology (Trained)
Imperial Theology (Trained)
Tarrghus (Journeyman)
Spheres:
Talent
Traits:
Perpetual: Unknown to you, you are a perpetual who has yet to discover their status. Immunity to Death. ???
Suspicion: You have an unnatural origin, making people who know of it more wary of you, more likely to assume the worst. -10 to all Social Rolls when dealing with those who would know of and care about your origin.
Arcana: Magician: A manifestation of talent given flesh, though your path might be paved with skill, where it leads will be decided by your own choices and how you use your gifts. Halved requirement to raise all skills. Increased progress for all skill growth. Skill caps raised by two stages.
Jack of All Trades I [Magician Trait]: Specialization was for insects. Gain additional Occupation slot with its own Aptitude score.
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Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
[X] Magician, Arcana of Talent
[X] Moon, Arcana of Intuition: Your talent lie in dreams. The ability to gain knowledge not through rigorous searching or interrogation, but through divination. Not the corrupted, treacherous divination of the children of Isha, or those among the corrupted who divine by trawling through the weavers loom, but something more powerful, more true. Gain Arcana: Moon, revealing expanded consequences from your decisions as well as the ability to perform minor acts of clairvoyance without invoking the Warp, as well as the Intuition (Minor) talent. Start with Sphere: Divination.
[
[
[X] Magician, Arcana of Talent
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Magician, Arcana of Talent
I feel like this will be useful for a good start, especially if we can choose in which World we will be born.
I feel like this will be useful for a good start, especially if we can choose in which World we will be born.
[X] Magician, Arcana of Talent
The Bird
tEM IS GUD...RITER!
- Location
- In that den of villains and scum, OKLAHOMA
I'd advise selecting your options based more on how you want to enact change and achieve goals. Magician is great, don't get me wrong, but its particular methodology involves leveraging personal abilities and the talent of others in order to achieve a goal, wheras Moon specializes more in using divination and intuition to bypass solution and find different avenues, and Devil leverages debts, contracts, and pacts to achieve its goals. How advantageous a starting position is somewhat less important, comparitively, than how you could leverage your esoteric abilities.
For instance, lets take the question of, say, "I want to kill Ghazghkull." (This is a hypothetical, of course.)
The Magician would do this by either learning assorted combat skills in order to do it himself, or train an elite strike force to do it for him. In many regards, it's the simplest arcana: it solves problems by skill-monkeying things.
The Moon might divine the location of a pre-fall Eldar weapon blessed by Kurnuous that always kills its foes and never misses and hand it off to a more combat capable associate, or use their clairvoyance to craft a plan that'll cause dominos to fall in such a way that Ghazzy is perma-killed by Yarrick.
The Devil meanwhile might leverage his assorted pacts to force a daemon they conned into oweing them a favor into cursing him, or levering the contracts of several individuals to create a hodgepodge team of power players to take him out, or (if they can figure out how) get into a position where they can convince Ghazzy to make a Pact where the penalty for not fulfilling its terms is death (and then doing their best to con Ghazzy into doing so.)
- Location
- France
[X] Moon, Arcana of Intuition
[X] Magician, Arcana of Talent
[X] Devil, Arcana of Pacts
always_confused
Perpetually unwanted
- Location
- SEA
[X] Devil, Arcana of Pacts
- Location
- London
I'm torn between Devil and Magician. The Magician would be able to draw on wonders of science and warpcraft not seen since the Dark Age of Technology, but the Devil seems like they would be in a stronger position to build lasting and effective institutions.
