Prevarication
Sneaks and Infiltrators
Despite the destructive powers of many other mages, the Prevaricators are by far the most universally distrusted. Often employed to infiltrate and manipulate groups working against the leadership interests of the College or the Grand Accord, Prevaricators are also well suited to perform acts of political or military espionage. Because of this, Prevaricators and Divinators have a close but somewhat uneasy relationship where they must work together within the Court of Measure and the Judicariad, but avoid stepping on one another's toes while also ensuring eachother's integrity. This strained relationship creates misgivings even amongst cohorts. Some Archmages choose both Prevarication and Divination, dedicating themselves solely to the Judicariad.A particular favorite of court royals, Shadows and others who favor the tactic of deception, Prevarication is potent and perhaps the most alluring of all schools because those who practice it are able to live within a dreamworld of their own making. Prevarication is often associated with Koromen, god of deceit, though it can be used for protection and good almost as easily as it can be used for trickery and evil. For those without the self-control to maintain their sanity, a Mage's Prevarications and whims can become too powerful to contain. The Mage's sense of self begins to deteriorate, inviting the imaginary into the world of the mundane.
Shadows within Shadows
Rogue Prevaricators are the most difficult of Mages for the Grand Accord to crack down on. Prevaricators can easily find work with well-paying clients who value discretion, either with members of organized crime or with power-hungry members of the Accord itself. Many Prevaricators also work as Shadows or Skirmishers, further accentuating their arcane powers with physical and mental skills that suit their needs.The Paths of Deception
Sattarian Path - Many Prevaricators secretly follow the Sattarian path. The Sattarians believe that reality is derelect dream run by subliminal consensus, that the Akasharians were working to free humanity of its torments, and that objective reality is an illusion which shackles humanity. The Sattarians dangle on the precipice of madness, seeing no difference between magic and illusion, no difference between the pure world and that of the arcane. Where Mystics of the Smoke Mirror Way seek to create islands of stability, the Sattarians believe the Shroud and the sentient beings who dream it must be awoken to the true nature of their influence, so that one day the true Dreamer can be awakened and steer the derelect dream. Carcosan Path - Perhaps greatest Prevaricator known in Geron's history is Moda Yur, once-emperor of Carcosa. He is though to have taken on uncountable forms and identities throughout the aeons, dedicating entire mortal lifespans to deceits so elaborate that masters of Divination are unable to surveil his presence. Tantalizing hints of Moda Yur's powerful rituals exist amongst the Shatter Lands and in the tangled craters left by the uplifting of the Wandering Cities.Weaver Path - The Weavers are masters of beguilement and manipulation, representing an ancient and mysterious order who work towards one or more future events which they consider to be critical to guiding Men towards an ideal future. Much effort is taken to obscure the identity of this unknown order; tasks handed out to Weavers are deliberately left without context, and range from seemingly innocuous conversations to brutal, immoral acts. Who controls the Weavers is a matter of debate. Manean Farseers, Recallers of Skiath, Akashari loyalists, Sattarians and even the enigmatic Door Cults of the Witch Sorrows have all been implicated as the hidden power behind the Weavers. Critics of the Weavers point out that nobody really knows what future they work towards and what it truly means.
Key to the power of the Shadow Path is the power of persuasion and manipulation, and suich
Mark of the Shadow Court
5 - When asleep, sometimes the mage's dreams are visible to others. This can make it difficult to keep secrets, and makes the mage vulnerable as their inner thoughts play out for all to see. 10 - When unfocused, sometimes a stray thought will manifest physically. Depending on the thought, this can be a mild annoyance or a major problem. 15 - The mage has manifested a secondary being, with which they discuss many matters. The mage's appearance begins to mimic the manifestation's… or is it the other way around? The mage will sometimes convince themselves of things that are untrue, or be easily misled by a trickster. 20 - The manifestation has manifested, and all the beings lack strong identity. The mage is increasingly mercurial, and tends to agree when presented with a strong opinion even if that opinion is counter to their own belief. Stray thoughts and dreams, even daydreams, will spontaneously manifest around the mage. 25 - No one can tell which is the original mage, least of all himself. They lack almost all personal identity and are easily convinced by others. They can no longer differentiate truth from fiction.Type
- Arcane School
Archane Schools
- Abjuration
- Alteration
- Animation
- Conjuration
- Divination
- Invocation
- Prevarication
- Transformation
- Translocation
- Universal
Type
Education, Magic
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