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Attribute Specialties:
Dexterity - hand-eye coordination
Manipulation - charm
Intelligence - creative

Ability Specialties:
Academics - philosophy
Crafts - metalwork
Occult - rituals

Backgrounds:

Background (5 of 5)
Node 2
Sanctum 2
Retainer 1 (Margaret Dunn, RN)
Background from Freebies (13)
Resources *3*
Guide *3* (Archimedes)
Mana *4*
Willpower *3*

Merits:

Psychic Awakening 4 pt
Common Sense 1pt
Language (Greek) 1pt
Language (Latin) 1pt

Flaws:

Asthmatic 1pt
Curiosity 2pt
Low Alcohol Tolerance 1pt
Obsession (RPG's) 2pt
Sterile 1pt

A Mechanistic Cosmos
Creation is essentially a machine. By understanding it, we can elevate ourselves to a superior state. All things possess an intrinsic sense of order, and chaos is an illusion that conceals a deeper form of symmetry. Although it’s most obviously identified with the Technocracy, this paradigm goes back at least as far as Classical Greece. The “divine watchmaker” concept from Enlightenment Deism, certain forms of Gnosticism, and the postmodern concept of reality hacking all stem from this image of a systematic and comprehensible cosmos. To the mechanistic viewpoint, enlightenment includes a clear-eyed view of the cosmic machine. Through it might be perceived through lenses of godhead, those divinities are still part of the system. Magic, therefore, is an Enlightened Science through which a person tweaks the gears. Metaphysical practices are simply tool-kits for the people who know how to tinker with reality.

High Ritual Magic
Craft-work

Cards, Dice, and Other Instruments of Chance
Circles, Pentacles, and Other Geometric Designs
Cups, Chalices, Cauldrons, and Other Vessels
Dances, Gestures, Postures, and Other Movement Practices
Household Tools
Languages
Meditation
Prayers and Invocations
Wands, Rods, and Staves

Silver pentagram necklace intricately etched that responds to yes/no questions by spinning or not and tugging to lead in a particular direction getting warmer to touch as you get closer

Prepare Implement (•)
Usually the first ritual learned by any prospective Dowser, this allows the magical preparation of an object to allow it to be used for this Path. Different object types are often better for different types of Dowsing; a coin on a string might work well for yes/no questions, and a rod likely works best for seeking out specific objects. A point of Willpower must be spent to enact the ritual, with the exact preparations depending on the Sorcerer in question.

Jeweler's Loupe etched in gold zodiac symbols used to examine and watch enchantment progress

Eldritch Mark (•)
The sorcerer scribes a symbol or mark into an object or onto the forehead of an individual. This mark then fades from view, but any student of the mystic Arts who looks at the object or individual will be able to discern the mark and will know the name of the sorcerer who marked it. This ritual takes five minutes to cast and has no cost in Willpower.

Ritualized Hand Movements to convey the intent of the Spell/Ritual

Simple Protection (•)
Any user of Fascination can possibly roll Wits + Fascination to recognize and prepare for uses of other supernatural powers. This ritual allows a user to prepare for this ahead of time, making their resistance more likely. Successes scored on this ritual, which lasts for one night, add to those rolled for the aforementioned recognition roll.

Solid Silver Rod etched with symbols denoting energy and soaked in Luke's blood for a fortnight

Study Wonder (•)
While figuring out the resonance of a Wonder can give some basic idea as to what its intended use is, this isn't always accurate, nor is it very detailed. This ritual gives more specific information; Intelligence + Occult is rolled, and the successes scored gives the level of information you receive. One success gives a general category of effect (protective, offensive, mind-altering), three gives a specific use, and five gives information as to the specific type of Wonder (Minor Talisman, Artifact, etc). This costs a point of Willpower. This ritual doesn't work on Fetishes or other magical objects specific to other Night Folk, but with proper information, similar rituals can be learned that apply to them instead, for the same cost.
Infusion (••)
The sorcerer takes an otherwise normal potion or other consumable object and places some of his own Mana into it for later use. The successes scored determine how much Mana can go into the item. Energy usually “leaks” during this process; every two points of Mana spent by the sorcerer channel one point into the storage receptacle.
Shape Mana (•••)
With special mirrors, diagrams, carvings or the like, the sorcerer turns the flow of Mana in an area so that it changes direction and intent. The sorcerer could cause “bad” energies to become wholesome, alter a spell effect or turn a ley line so that it runs through his residence. The level of success guides the feat: With one success, the sorcerer could dissipate some unlucky energies so that a place does not attract evil spirits or ill fortune. With three successes, the sorcerer can channel joss so that a location has good fortune (lowering by one the difficulty of all commerce or practices of the area — a store would facilitate business, a hospital would encourage healing, and so on). With five successes, the sorcerer can reshape a magic effect already in the area to the limits of hisown knowledge (turning, say, a ward so that it wards against a different creature type) or even cause a Node or other source of power to channel its energy to a location of his choosing. Mana reshaped in this form typically lasts until some force “snaps” it back to normal, though some places may require specific maintenance (yearly for simple effects like good luck, perhaps daily rituals for bending ley lines).

Physical Description: Luke is thin and frail with blond hair and blue eyes. He has a light freckling about his nose which has an 'aristocratic' shape. He generally dresses casually in jeans, tennis shoes, tee-shirt, zip-up hoody, and a knee length rain coat if he goes outside. His pockets are generally stuffed with various oddities and he ALWAYS has his tablet. He can however, if the occasion calls for it, dress quite nicely, thanks in large part to his assistant Margaret Dunn.

Personality: Luke is quite excitable and loves nothing more than a 'mystery' or a 'puzzle'. He can easily become lost in the search for answers. He is otherwise congenial and generous to a fault. Ms Dunn and Archimedes have been known to stop him from being to generous.

Backstory: Luke Thorne
Lucas Ebenezer Thorne was born September 9, 1999 in Miami, Florida to a relatively affluent family. His father was a mechanical engineer that loved to work with his hands. He eagerly shared his hobbies of mechanics and smithing with his children. His stay-at-home mother loved her family intensely and seemed to honestly enjoy helping her six children with homework and baseball practice and such. As a family they went to RenFaires and gaming conventions. He truly had an amazing set of parents. The Thorne family in general was amazing and for a while he grew up in a happy home.
Long before Luke could remember, his grandfather passed away, but his oldest son (his father’s eldest brother), Ebenezer, filled the niche. Luke had been named after both his grandfather and old Uncle Ebenezer. The family as a whole, were affluent and well educated, but the eccentric Uncle Ebenezer had been incredibly lucky on the market with investments. In other words, he was ‘loaded’. His large rural home in Jacksonville was a favorite place for family gatherings on holidays and summer vacations. And for the most part, he was a rather gracious host, especially to Luke. He always encouraged the boy to think ‘outside of the box’ and to ‘always ask questions.’ Uncle Ebenezer spent a great deal of time with Luke in his Study, picking out classics and philosophers' works for him to read. And on occasion, even older texts that were seemingly nonsensical but Uncle Ebenezer kept assuring him that someday, someday, it would all make sense. He learned Latin and Ancient Greek under the old man’s tutelage, all the while Uncle Ebenezer’s old white owl watched over them, perched on a hat rack. Oddly he called the bird ‘Archimedes’ and Uncle Ebenezer would rattle off to the raptor as if it understood what he said and expected an answer, which of course, he never got.
Sadly, in the summer of 2013, everything changed for Lucas. While the family slept, Lucas’ home went up in a blaze. Everything was destroyed. Everyone was killed. Only through some miracle, Luke escaped. The firemen found him badly burned and struggling to breath in the middle of the front lawn, all the while his entire life burned behind them. He made a near full recovery but was stricken with chronic asthma thereafter and had little physical stamina or strength. With the loss of his family and at the age of 14, his mother’s sister sued for custody and won, despite Uncle Ebenezer’s efforts. And being rather vindictive and of the opinion that Uncle Ebenezer was insane (or ‘batshit crazy’ as she put it) forbade Lucas from seeing his eccentric uncle. She even forbade his playing Dungeons and Dragons and other RPG’s as they caused ‘brain rot’ and would ‘damn his soul’. He was devastated, since that had always been his primary means of escape. Instead he was dragged to church every time the doors opened to ‘save his soul.’ He never again could play sports, his health never fully recovered being thin and short of breath but he was quite agile, especially with his hands. He practiced card tricks and got quite good at sleight of hand, which he called ‘magic’, mainly to spite his aunt.
And aside from getting complete custody of Luke, his aunt received life insurance payouts and the estate of the deceased. Of course, she would emphatically deny that was her motivation. But her lifestyle changed dramatically. All the while, Lucas would find notes and books mysteriously left in his room and even a smartphone with which he and the old man would exchange messages. Amazingly, she never found any of these things despite repeated ‘surprise inspections.’
In late 2017, in an even more cruel twist of fate, on the day before his 18th birthday, Uncle Ebenezer passed away at the tender age of 99. And as per the old man’s will, the executor of his estate (Margaret Dunn) gave an equitable inheritance to all surviving members of the grandfather's family. Enough that, if wisely managed, none of them would ever have to work again. All but Lucas, he got nothing, which of course upset his aunt terribly. Ms Dunn was Ebenezer’s nurse in his final days and the old man trusted her completely. She apologized to Lucas in private and assured him all would become clear in time and she promptly made her residence in the old man’s mansion. Shortly thereafter, he received an official letter from University of Florida stating that his room, board, and all expenses had been paid in full by an unknown benefactor. He then moved to Gainesville with haste and started attending classes at the beginning of the new semester.
And on a routine physical for entrance to the University, he was found to have a reproductive oddity and on referral to a specialist, Lucas was found to be sterile. He would never be able to have children of his own. It was a terrible blow, considering he had lost his family in the fire years ago. He literally threw himself into his studies in philosophy searching for answers. And on the occasion that he did take a break from his studies, he found out quickly and brutally that he could not hold his alcohol. He was a ‘lightweight’ and found himself inebriated on one or two beers. His friends joked with him and told him that he was a ‘cheap date’. They would get together and play RPG’s and board games on weekends and he simply had to NOT DRINK. But quite literally, before he knew it, 2021 came with his graduation with honors in Liberal Arts program having majored in History and Philosophy. He then pursued his Masters Philosophy, finishing in 2023. He was at a loss now. With his education finished and at the age of 25, he would need to support himself. His allotted money for education had been all but depleted.
That evening as he is packing his belongings to load in his old SUV, Margaret Dunn knocks on his apartment door with sheaths of rolled documents under her arms. She is smiling and doesn’t look a day older than when he last saw her at the reading of his Uncle Ebenezer’s will.
“And this is the day it all comes clear, young Master.” as she removes a Notary stamp and pad from a briefcase and begins spreading legal documents on the table. “As per your Uncle’s will and instructions, you are of your majority now being a score and five and having an education and being of sound mind. All that was his is now yours…” As she indicates where he should sign in multiple locations, her hand wanders to the Notary Stamp ready to witness and make it official. Lucas will get the mansion and estate and never have to worry financially unless he is incredibly stupid.
“Now, Ebenezer, has given me a terribly generous stipend to look after you until you no longer require my assistance. I will look after the estate, hire a cook and a maid, render first aid and financial advice. Whatever the young master requires. Master Ebenezer was incredibly generous and kind-hearted and I fervently hope that you learned well from him.” Standing with arms crossed.
They then move into ‘Thornhill’ and Lucas is nostalgic and spends a great deal of time in his uncle’s (now his) study, reading and re-reading books his uncle had recommended. And one day perhaps by pure happenstance, Lucas bumps a certain book a certain way and the bookcase swings away from the wall revealing a staircase leading down into a huge room beneath. Lucas feels a buzzing in his head and hears his uncle’s voice, “when the time is right, you will remember”. He realizes, strangely, that he knew about this ‘secret room’ AND how to activate the trigger. He had merely forgotten. Beneath he finds a huge workshop and library absolutely filled with strange apparati and tomes and ‘sculptures’. There were stacks of wood and bags of stone and bars of metal. And in the center of the room was a fountain that made him feel warm and happy, the closer he stood to it. And as he stretches across to put his finger in the flow, unbeknownst to him, his rescue inhaler falls from his pocket and rolls under a table against a stack of dried ashwood, completely hidden from sight. As he touches the ‘water’ it feels warm and cold with an electric tingle all at once and he feels invigorated, more so than he can ever remember.
And with a renewed excitement, he goes to what he somehow knows is his uncle’s (now his) desk and finds a letter addressed to him. It is folded in thrice and sealed in wax. He sits in his uncle’s worn leather chair and breaks the seal and reads…

“Nephew, If you are reading this then know the inevitable has come to pass. All things end, including your favorite uncle. I bequeath to you, my favorite nephew, everything. All my earthly and otherworldly possessions and all the assistance that I can leave to you, including my assistants. Use them wisely. You are the son that I could never have and I loved you dearly.
Thadius EbenezerThorne, Esq

With tears in his eyes he immediately begins reading the tome in front of him open to a section entitled ‘Baculus divinatorius’. He studies words written in Latin and the base of his skull tingles and as he turns the page, years of dust are sifted into the air triggering an intense asthmatic attack. He begins to wheeze and cough and reaches for the inhaler that isn’t where it should be. He panics, which only makes it worse as sympathetic neurons fire, they send ‘fight or flight’ messages, tightening his airways even further. Lucas falls to the ground retching and bleeding from his nose. And as his vision narrows and grows dimmer in his hypoxic state, his mind grasps at straws and remembers the material divination rite he had just perused and he recites the mantra in his head and immediately gets a clear vision of where his rescue inhaler is mere inches away. He seizes it and inhales several puffs before falling into the fountain.
He awakens sometime later, soaked but feeling almost as good as new. What was that? As he begins to stir he hears, “Ah finally, you are ‘awake’. I thought you would sleep forever. But the Old Man, he had confidence in you. Now get out of that fountain, it is nigh on to Holy!”
Lucas looks up and sees no one. That is no one but Uncle Ebenezer’s owl, ‘Archimedes’ perched on a coat rack. Lucas thought the animal long dead - how long did owls live?
“Yes, boy. It was me. Now get you out of that Fountain!”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2025
Time passes, 2 years in fact. And with Archie's help Lucas learns a great deal, now that he is ‘awake’ as Archimedes put it

Freebies: Freebie Points (15)
Background from Freebies (13)
Resources *3*
Guide *3*
Mana *4*
Willpower *3*

Ability (2pt/level) (2)
Occult +1 (2)

Notes:
Luke can read and write Latin and Greek which are not likely to be useful in everyday life, but that has ever been his style. He is studious and loves nothing better than a problem to figure out, be it people or things. He carries a Rescue Inhaler for his asthma and is generally frail and week and he absolutely can not hold his liquor. He can be found quite often in his leisure time engaging in RPG's both online and desktop. He is generous to a fault and Ms Dunn and Archimedes help to hold him in check.

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XP Log

Player: ASH LeBeau

Luke is thin and frail with blond hair and blue eyes. He has a light freckling about his nose which has an 'aristocratic' shape. He generally dresses casually in jeans, tennis shoes, tee-shirt, zip-up hoody, and a knee length rain coat if he goes outside. His pockets are generally stuffed with various oddities and he ALWAYS has his tablet. He can however, if the occasion calls for it, dress quite nicely, thanks in large part to his assistant Margaret Dunn.

Luke is quite excitable and loves nothing more than'mystery' or a 'puzzle'. He can easily become lost in the search for answers. He is otherwise congenial and generous to a fault. Ms Dunn and Archimedes have been known to stop him from being to generous.

Obvious Details:

Less Than Obvious Details:

Banality Score:

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