Destiny
There exist an uncountable number of forces in this world; Light and Darkness, Life and Death, and everything in between; Earth, Fire, and even those less tangible forces, such as Love and Fear. It takes one who is extremely wise and powerful to combine these aspects into one binding, irrefutable force, and it comes as no surprise that, for centuries, people worshipped the nameless individual who came to be known as Trionfi, and his deck of cards, for doing so. Seventy-seven cards, consisting of twenty-one aspects of existence, as well as four suits of fourteen cards, to act as chains to bind them to his will, as well as the fate of any human who dared to invoke their power. Thus it was with his deck of cards that Trionfi ascended, ruling undisputed over all those who came to him with questions of their existence.
But then, power ever attracts greater power. An unknown anomaly, a seventy-eighth card, The Fool, came into being some time, seemingly out of nowhere. Thus was Trionfi cast down, and the power of his cards unravelled with him. The chains snapped, and the twenty-one aspects of existence were scattered to the winds, their powers no longer confined, their essences freed to seek hosts who would act as a vessel, a Querent, for their powers, towards a purpose that only they knew. The name of Trionfi was forgotten, and his cards themselves became legend amongst worshippers of the Occult, acquiring a new name – Tarot – and becoming little more than a diviner of fate, with no real power to speak of.
Years have passed, and those who have become Querents for the essence of what are now called the Major Arcana have found their lives irrevocably altered, as their very lives are now shaped by these beings that reside within them. Their questions that led them into this situation have not yet been answered and, indeed, have only multiplied, as they find themselves in danger from others of their kind who covet their power. Yet this is not the only danger they must face, for The Fool, with an army at his back, is not yet done with the power of Trionfi’s deck…
Querents
In this life, is it not natural to have questions? Yet the mundane questions, such as “Will I be rich?” or “Will I ever find happiness?” those that deal in absolutes, they are never answered, for some knowledge is beyond that of even the Gods. Yet those who seek to change themselves from within by questioning their own existence, rather than attempt to set it down in an absolute; they are the ones who are met with success, should they call upon a being of power.
Thus are the Querents born; those who hold the essence of one of the Major Arcana within themselves. They are rewarded for their attitudes, ideals and beliefs with the power of the one best suited to them; power with which they may shape their own destiny, in order to answer their questions.
However, the Major Arcana are powerful, corrupting forces, and the nature of the spirit housed within the Querent will often irrevocably shape the mind of the mortal that seeks to contain it. Some Querents become taken over utterly by their host, and seek nothing but the powers of others. Others lose their identities, and yet others do not, their Major Arcana being naught but a quiet whisper in their ear.
Regardless of the nature of the Querent and the Major Arcana, it is still a symbiotic relationship: together, Querent and Arcana are a devastating force. Divided, they are considerably weaker. Those Querents who are able to defeat others in combat will also acquire the power of their Arcana, making them stronger, and that much closer to filling their ultimate Destiny, and finding their answers.
The Major Arcana
Formerly nameless essences contained within Trionfi’s deck, the Major Arcana have gained separate identities along with their freedom, and have become aspected, rather than being pure elementals. The Major Arcana cannot exist without a human host, a Querent, as little more than bodiless spirits; yet one more power among the uncountable millions in this world. Yet, with a host, they gain tremendous power, and may manifest themselves in the form of weapons, Diviners, for their host to wield in combat. Whilst the spirits themselves have changed, their nature remains the same: they are, above all, creatures whose primary purpose is to survive, no matter what the cost.
The Major Arcana and their abilities are listed below:
The Magician
The Magician is a spirit of great power, for he possesses the ability to manipulate all elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Darkness, Light, and all that resides in between; one of the only three Arcana (the other being The World and the Fool, both of whom are considerably more powerful than he) to be able to do so. The Magician is limited only by his own imagination and, whilst his control and power over the elements may not match other Major Arcana, his versatility gives him an edge, and makes the Magician a formidable and cunning foe. Despite his potential for great destruction, the Magician prefers to conquer his opponent through skill and sleight of hand, rather than physical strength, and can create illusions that are indistinguishable from reality, for their stimulate the senses and fool the mind into accepting them as reality…and, indeed, perhaps they are.
Diviner: Wand
Element: All
The High Priestess
The spirit of the High Priestess is a powerful, seductive presence. For women, she represents an ideal state of being, or perfection. For men, she is an object of desire, a Goddess to be worshipped. With a single word, she can lift a spirit into the stratosphere…or send it spiralling downwards into a never-ending despair. She possesses a great strength of spirit which, when channelled through her Diviner, is capable of great physical destruction. Whilst her destructive power pales in comparison to that of other Major Arcana, the High Priestess’ true power lies within her charm, and there are few who can resist her when she exercises this charm, be they endowed with the power of another Major Arcana…or simply another hapless mortal.
Diviner: Silver Cross
Element: Spirit
The Empress
The Empress is the most gentle of the Major Arcana, and will choose to co-exist peacefully with her chosen Querent, acting as a spiritual guide, and never taking her host over completely without con-sent. Of all the Major Arcana, it is she who has changed her nature, for she now chooses to nurture, rather than fight. Like the High Priestess, she possesses an extraordinary strength of spirit. The Empress’ powers, when channelled through her Diviner, are formidable indeed: she can raise barriers that none but the most powerful of attacks can penetrate, and is capable of drawing the very life force from others, or returning it, bringing back even those who are but an inch from death. The Empress is passive and, whilst she possesses iron strength of will, she will not enforce this upon others, unless she is left with no other alternative.
Diviner: Silver Sceptre
Element: Light (Healing/Protection orientated)
The Emperor
The most vicious of the Arcana, and one of the few that takes over the body of his Querent entirely, leaving their spirit little more than a remnant of what existed before. Whereas Death is indiscriminate, and the Devil is fuelled by rage, the Emperor is fuelled by the desire to rule, the need to command. He is calm and pragmatic, yet ruthless, and can enslave any mortals to do his bidding with but a single word. The Emperor brings stability and security, yet he also brings war and destruction, and it is a very delicate balance. Through the power of his Diviner, the Gold Sceptre, he can bring destruction through devastating dark-based magic as easily as he can bring peace and prosperity. Freedom must be sacrificed for stability, and the Emperor enforces this with his iron will. His rule is absolute, and any who resist he will immediately crush; indeed, few of the Major Arcana can rival the Emperor’s power.
Diviner: Gold Sceptre
Element: Darkness
The Hierophant
Seeker of Knowledge and Truth, the Hierophant walks many paths on his quest to enlightenment. Yet Knowledge is a brutal thing, and the Truth, that can be obscured, or twisted entirely. The Hiero-phant is the most totalitarian of the Major Arcana; more so than the Emperor, he seeks the path to ascension, and he will go to any lengths to uncover his ultimate destiny. The Hierophant leaves no stone unturned, no possibility unexplored, and guards his knowledge jealously; he is equally likely to lead people astray as he is to reveal to them what they seek. His is an indirect (but no less powerful) form of control: curiosity. Through the power of his Diviner, the Ivory Staff, the Hierophant wields both the powers of Light and Darkness…although on a considerably reduced scale when in comparison to others blessed with these powers. Yet the Hierophant’s knowledge is such that it is extremely rare that he has to battle.
Diviner: Ivory Staff
Element: Light/Darkness
The Lovers
Originally one, now two. The Lovers, more than any other Major Arcana, have been shaped by hu-man emotion. The Lovers seek experience; to understand what it is to be human: they have taken more Querents (indeed, on occasion they shall take two, bringing them together to watch the re-sults) than any other Arcana, exploring every possible emotion within them. The power of The Lovers fluctuates; it has great potential, but it requires time to reach that potential, and there is always the danger of that strength dwindling in the heat of battle. The Lovers grant their Querent Twin Daggers to utilise in battle, one endowed with the power of Fire, and the other with the power of Ice. The strength of these daggers depends entirely upon the emotions running through the Querent at the time, making them either extremely potent, or entirely ineffectual.
Diviner: Twin Daggers
Element: Fire/Ice
The Chariot
The Chariot is an Arcana of Conquest, it constantly seeks a battle, a challenge, be it internal or external. Reckless, stubborn and determined, the Chariot wields unwavering power through both faith and ignorance. The Chariot is possessed of great strength of will and courage, and it has an absolute control over its Querent’s emotions, overriding all caution and common sense in the face of a challenge. More than any other Arcana, the Chariot is possessed of a fanatical desire to win. It matters not what the activity is, be it cards, a life-and-death struggle, or an internal, much more private matter, the Chariot demands that things go the way it has envisioned them to be. However, for the Chariot, defeat is an absolute. Whilst the Chariot’s confidence has yet to betray it, as it seeks greater challenges, it is but a matter of time before the momentum becomes too great for it to handle. The Chariot grants its Querent a Claymore as their Diviner, with the power to split the Earth asunder and deflect even the most powerful of attacks, as well as enhanced strength and agility with which to use it.
Diviner: Claymore
Element: Earth
Justice
One of the Four Cardinal Virtues, cornerstones of human society, Justice is an extremely powerful Arcana. Possessed of an absolute sense of what is right and wrong, and with the clarity necessary to enact it, Justice is interested in one thing only: delivering the virtue for which it was named to those who deserve it, be they mortal or Arcana. Justice is not an emotional creature; it is rational, calculated, and impartial. Because of this, it is incapable of understanding human emotions, and this is a characteristic that is reflected upon its Querent, who will find themselves losing their emotions, as well as their inability to see any alternate perspective, should they accept Justice into themselves. Justice takes no account of the circumstances. The Diviner of Justice is a Rapier, embodied with the strength of Lightning, and allows the wielder to summon tremendous storms.
Diviner: Rapier
Element: Lightning
The Hermit
The Hermit is a passive, comforting Arcana, and will rarely assert himself. He is the only one of the Arcana who knows true peace, is content with the power that he has obtained, and is content simply to exist, free from the confining prison of his card, to travel and experience the lands. Nothing drives the Hermit, for he has seen it all; it is possible that he is oldest of the Major Arcana, although this is unknown. The Hermit will, by choice, isolates himself from all others, even his Querent, who he will bond himself to simply for company. The Hermit’s Diviner is a Lantern. Whilst capable of channelling Spirit Energy for some rather spectacular results, its primary function is far more destructive: it allows the Querent, and the Hermit, to see into a person’s soul, to strip away their facades and illusions and force them to recognise exactly who they are. The Hermit is, after all, always looking for an honest man, and the best way to find an honest man is to make one.
Diviner: Lantern
Element: Spirit
Wheel of Fortune
Luck is often the first thing to be celebrated when things go according to plan, or to be cursed when they go horrible awry. The Wheel of Fortune embodies the concept of Luck; the push and the pull, the sudden twist of fate. For the Wheel of Fortune, what matters is not whether the game is won or lost; it is the thrill that the game brings the power, and the experience. The higher the stakes, the greater the power. The Wheel of Fortune can even alter the odds to a certain degree, making the Querent extremely lucky…it is, after all, better to be lucky than good. The Wheel of Fortune grants its wielder a Longbow for a Diviner, with a full quiver of arrows, blessed with the power of the Wind. Much like the nature of the spirit itself, the potency and accuracy of these arrows is left entirely to chance. At its best, they are enough to level entire buildings. At the worst, the bowstring snaps, leaving the Querent open to assault. Luck can be a fickle bitch.
Diviner: Longbow and Arrows
Element: Wind
Strength
The second of the Cardinal Virtues. Strength, much like Justice, grants its wielder an astounding clarity. However, this clarity is an internal force, rather than an external one. The Querent of Strength will be, emotionally, unstoppable, possessed of an iron discipline and self-control, and a compassion bordering on the holy. Strength has been tempered to perfection, and can represent both the most unshakable of allies and the deadliest of threats. Whereas Justice is an external force, Strength is an internal one, although no less absolute. The Diviner of Strength is a War Hammer empowered with the element of Ice, capable of causing glaciers to rise from water, or turning the very air to mist.
Diviner: War Hammer
Element: Ice
The Hanged Man
The Traitor. Perhaps the most hated of the Arcana, after the Fool. The Hanged Man exists to destroy, to betray and, in those moments of realisation, capture the very soul of its victim, and so increase its powers. The Hanged Man brings nothing but ruin, to both itself, its Querent, and any who come into contact with it, and it revels in this ruin. It is adept at wielding deceit and lies, even more so than the Hierophant, and can easily lure others into its net, making them place the nooses around their own necks and even being glad of it. However, there is an inner calm to be found within the Hanged Man, even as the storm of betrayal rages around it, and it has a supernatural patience, which it will often transfer to its Querent. The Hanged Man’s Diviner is, appropriately, rope. However, this is a rope of a seemingly infinite length and considerable durability and strength, able to crush stone and cut through steel. Whilst it possesses no element to speak of, it is highly versatile, and powerful in its own right.
Diviner: Rope
Element: None
Death
One of the most powerful Arcana, and without a doubt the most feared, Death is, in reality, entirely indifferent. Indifferent to the struggles between the other Arcana, of humankind, of anything and everything. Even more so than Justice, Death is without morals, and unmindful of circumstance. It is the absolute; everything, eventually, is subject to its dominion, and Death is content to wait for that to happen. It harbours no malice and, even if confronted, it will retreat if the option is available. Death signifies the end, and with each ending, be it physical or spiritual, its power grows. Death’s Diviner is, unsurprisingly, a Scythe, which grows in power with each soul harvested. In a graveyard, not even the Fool could best Death in combat. Whilst Death is capable of creating destructive flames, chilling ice, splitting the earth and even summoning an army to do its bidding, the power is derived from the spirits of the fallen, and not the elements they may appear to be.
Diviner: Scythe
Element: Spirit
Temperance
The third of the Cardinal Virtues, Temperance represents the idea of Balance. It enforces balance, and this is something that none of the Arcana, not even the Fool, can deny. Whilst Temperance cannot enforce unity, it can enforce balance and, if Temperance joins in a battle, that battle will be decided very quickly. However, the Querent of Temperance will find that she is a demanding master: whether they like it or not, they will be forced to intervene in unbalanced situations, even if they are in favour of what they would perceive as “evil”. Temperance has become far more than what it originally was, and its influence can potentially far surpass that of any of the other Arcana. However, Temperance’s influence is indiscriminate, and the Querent will not be able to use its power in any way that would upset the balance it enforces. Temperance grants its Querent the Diviner of two Challices, one silver and half-filled with water, and the other gold and half-filled with wine. Both of these liquids can be controlled by the wielder to strike out at opponents with the force of a tidal wave, if the situation demands it.
Diviner: Silver Challice/Gold Challice
Element: Water
The Devil
There are many kinds of chains in this world, both physical (for example, substances such as alcohol) and emotional (such as fear, or the lack of belief in oneself) and it is from these chains that the Devil gains its strength. For the Devil, enough is never enough. No excess is too great, no level too low, and the things that many humans regard as sinful or selfish are the Devil’s forte. However, the Devil has perhaps the most symbiotic relationship of all with his Querent: the chains that bind the two of them together are freely worn, and both experience great freedom from all but each other. The Devil does not create depravity and excess, he simply encourages it and, whilst he invariably brings out the worst in his Querent host, he also frees them from the constraints of their lifestyle. The Devil’s Diviner is a Great Axe of immense size and strength, which becomes melded to the Querent by thick, white hot chains. However, the Devil’s fire-based abilities are the most powerful and destructive of all the fire-based Arcana.
Diviner: Great Axe
Element: Fire
The Tower
The one Arcana that even Trionfi himself did not dare to use within his games, The Tower is consid-ered an ill omen by all practitioners, and its summoning is never intentional. All who are drawn to its enticing mystery are soon destroyed, unable to contain its power, or are driven mad by the secrets that they uncover. The presence of the Tower is sufficient for even the Fool to put aside his schemes, at least temporarily, to witness the coming revelation. The Tower is a mystery; what is a locked within its spirit not even its Querent knows. The Tower grants its Querent two rings, which are endowed with both fire and lightning elemental abilities respectively. Individually, these two elements are not a match for any Arcana, yet combined; they are capable of causing unfathomable ruin. However, a full unleashing of these powers will not spare any, even the Querent, for they draw from the Querent’s very essence. When one plays with fire, one must expect to get burned in return, and lightning is an indiscriminate force; it strikes where it pleases. The Tower is as dangerous to the Querent as it is to others around them.
Diviner: Two Rings
Element: Lightning/Fire
The Star
The Star is an Arcana that heartens all who are fortunate enough to invoke it. The Star embodies Hope, be it renewed or newly found, and draws its strength from the purer, more desirable side of human nature. The Star looks ever forward and upward which, whilst making it somewhat naïve and eternally optimistic, makes it a comforting presence for others. The Star is a serene and gentle spirit, preferring co-existence with her Querent, and seeing violence as a last resort and a tool of self-defence only. The Star’s Diviner is a Trident, imbued with the elements of Earth and Water. Much as the Star brings harmony to those who war with each other and within themselves, it allows the Querent to blend these two forces together for some extremely potent attacks.
Diviner: Trident
Element: Earth/Water
The Moon
The Moon is forever striving to realise itself, to purge itself of the self-doubt, the psychological conflict, within it. A true solipsist, the Moon is unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality, and its power is such at night that it does not need to, for it can make of its fantasies a tangible reality. With the Moon, nothing is as it appears to be. In the darkness, the Moon wields spirit magic to rival that of even Death, although by the light of day it is powerless, much as The Sun wields no power in the darkness. The Diviner of the Moon is a Crescent Axe, which allows the wielder to unleash whatever their heart desires in the form of devastating spirit magic. Often, these desires and fears will manifest themselves in the forms of animals. The Querent of the Moon will also find themselves able to enter the minds of others, although they are unable to influence the reality contained within their mind.
Diviner: Crescent Axe
Element: Spirit/Darkness
The Sun
Whilst the Star represents a feeling of renewed hope, the Sun is a spirit of contentment. The Sun has acquired all of the knowledge he sought to possess, and is now simply content with the life he leads. As such, it is rare that he will involve himself in matters relating to others of his kind, or control his Querent entirely: the Sun is a generous spirit, and he gives his gifts of optimism and vitality freely. The Sun possesses an indiscriminate form of innocence in his gift-giving, however, and is perhaps too quick to trust. The Querent of the Sun wields a Sabre as a Diviner, allowing for powerful Spirit and Light-based elemental attacks…however, only during the day. The Arcana of the Sun draws its power, much like the Moon, from the object from which it was named, and is powerless in darkness.
Diviner: Sabre
Element: Spirit/Light
The Angel of Judgement
Believed to be the spirit of the angel Gabriel by practitioners of the Occult, the Angel of Judgement is one of the strongest Arcana. He is absolution and the hope of a new beginning for those who are truly damned, or those who have simply lost their way. Unlike the Star and the Sun, who bring joy and contentment to the lives of those they touch, the Angel of Judgement wipes the slate clean, allowing for a new beginning. His judgement comes upon many forms: he may simply forgive one of their past misdeeds, grant them the strength to forgive themselves, or smite them down with his fury, capturing their soul in the process and denying them death, allowing them time to repent for their wrongdoings before they are reborn, or send on their way. The Angel of Judgement is unique in that the unleashing of his full power will kill his Querent host. However, their soul will live on within the Angel, until such time as he sees fit to reincarnate them. His Diviner is a War Scythe, and his light-based elemental abilities are the strongest of all light-based arcana, and are of such a magnitude that he can deny death itself.
Diviner: War Scythe
Element: Light
The World
The fourth of the Cardinal Virtues, and the most powerful of the Arcana, the World is perhaps as close to ascension as one can become. She is known by many names, and represents nothing more or less than existence itself. To kill her or to possess her power is the goal of many, both Arcana and mortal (perhaps even the ultimate goal of the Fool himself), yet to do so is so no easy task, for she represents nothing more or less than the sum of all that has ever been, and perhaps all that will ever be. She shares her essence utterly with her Querent, so that they are inseparable, two integrated souls within a single body, and when the Querent’s body dies, their spirit joins with the World, as much a part of her in death as they were in life. Yet, despite her awesome power, the World is not capable of realising her own existence without a Querent host, and this is reflected in the fact that she, like all other Arcana, grants her Querent a Diviner; a Quarterstaff, through the which the power of the elements can be channelled.
Diviner: Quarterstaff
Element: All
The Fool
Granted a place amongst the Major Arcana, yet given the ambiguous number (or lack thereof) of Zero, the Fool is an enigma. He appears to be a spirit in search of experience and wisdom, much as the other Arcana are, yet his very manner – and considerable power – suggests that he is in search of something else entirely. The Fool possesses formidable strength. He is capable of physically manifesting himself without a Querent, and none of the Major Arcana can match him in a contest of brute force, for the Fool possesses all of their powers, even those of the World. As she is the Goddess of the World, it is arguable that he is the God. Yet the Fool’s motives are shrouded in mystery, and it is rare for him to ever actively take to the field of battle himself. He seems simply content to journey along a path invisible to all but him.
Diviner: None
Element: All
The Minor Arcana
Servants of the Fool, those who are known as the Minor Arcana are, like their master, capable of manifesting themselves without a Querent host, and appear to draw their powers from the Fool himself. Despite their servitude to the Fool, the Minor Arcana each have an agenda of their own, and are no more keen to be imprisoned in their shackles than the Major Arcana are…
Rules
1) Godmodding and metagaming is forbidden.
2) Please, use a decent level of spelling, grammar and punctuation in RP posts. Fail in this and I WILL kick you out of the RP.
3) Please try to keep your RP posts to a minimum of a paragraph (three to five sentences)
4) Be polite. If you’ve got a problem with another member, take it to PM, and don’t clutter up the OC thread with it.
5) If you need something clarified, just ask!
6) Maximum of three characters per person. For the moment, two reservations only, although interest in other characters can be expressed, and will be noted.
Notes
1) This RP is set in the present day, and will take place across the entire world. Unless you have a plan worked out with other characters though, you should start somewhere in America, so we can go from there.
2) Some of you may recognise the theme going on here - this is not a re-imagining of Fate, but it was inspired by it, and this point is my acknowledging this. I received permission from Diar to start this up, and that is all I care about. Don't like it? Too bad. I don't like a lot of things, but that isn't going to make them go away, and there is nothing in the rules that forbids me from starting an RP inspired by someone else's.
3) This is just a compilation of my own ideas that uses Tarot as a base. If you want absolute accuracy, go start your own damned Tarot RP and stop pestering me about it.
Application template
Name:
Age: (no younger than 16)
Gender:
Arcana:
Diviner: (See the Arcana bios above for information on your Diviner)
Element: (See the Arcana bios above for information about elements)
Appearance:
Personality:
Bio:
Character theme:
Battle theme:
Character list
Major Arcana
The Magician – Reserved [Martel]
The High Priestess - Reserved [Channy]
The Empress - Lucie Robinson [Liv Liv]
The Emperor
The Hierophant
The Lovers – Alexis Tripp [Channy]
The Chariot - Reserved [Liv Liv]
Justice - Gemma Clancy [Liv Liv]
The Hermit
Wheel of Fortune
Strength
The Hanged Man – Jamie Irelia [Diar]
Death – Meredith Chase [Martel]
Temperance
The Devil - Reserved [Squid]
The Tower - Vivien Elendril Clancy [Ringo]
The Star
The Moon - Noire De La Ville [Meddy]
The Sun - Mariella Opus [Diar]
The Angel of Judgement
The World - Unavailable [NPC] [PM if interested]
The Fool – [Martel]
This RP is INVITE ONLY.
Those of you who have received invitations and responded, feel free to post your bios in here whenever they are completed. Those of you who have yet to respond, until the point where either all the spots are filled or we have started, you can reserve your character at any time, either in here or via PM. As always, first come is first served.
Once everyone who was sent an invitation who is participating has reserved a character I shall allow reservations of up to two more characters.
Those of you who have not received invitations but would like to participate; feel free to drop me a PM about it. Once I have determined how many people will be participating, and how many spots are open, I may decide to throw the playing field open. Or I may allow you specifically entry. It all depends.
This RP will start on the 3rd of June at the earliest.
This gives people plenty of time to complete their bios, get their exams/schoolwork out of the way (hopefully, keep me posted if you are participating and have exams/work that will take priority) and plan some schemes for the RP with me and each other for when it finally does kick off~
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If it gets to be too much, I may drop the idea but I'd like to see it pan out. 
