No one is certain of where Tarot cards first emerged. There are decks used across Drakthiss, among the orcs and elves, and even some massive stone carvings used by the giants. One day, they simply were.
Bartholomew Castile, The Unknown Origins
There was a moment of blackness and then sudden light. Unlike the last time he’d arrived, he wasn’t simply a formless mass of mana, but was instead shaped as himself with the deer mask already secured to his face, antlers extended. He wasn’t in the ballroom and common area as he had been last time, but was instead standing on a small podium with five raised daises in front of him on which sat three figures he recognized and two he didn’t. All around them he could see stars, moons, and worlds spinning as if he’d been plucked up from the ground and placed into the night sky with them.
Death, The Lovers, and The Empress were looking down at him. Next to them was a man wearing the red robes of a magistrate holding a heavy stone in his right hand. Solomon presumed that he was Judgement.
In the center of the five, sitting in a seat that was slightly higher up than the rest of them, was a man wearing a crisp blue robe covered in stars. He had a long white beard and above his head floated the symbol of infinity. His eyes were constantly shifting colors and his body seemed to radiate pulses of mana that came off him as arcane symbols and shapes. Solomon immediately identified him as being the one in charge. While he had expected it to be The Emperor, or perhaps, The World it made sense that in a secret society that revolved around the arcane the leader would be The Magician.
Solomon bowed to them formally before righting himself.
“Clearly a member of the nobility, but I wonder which?” asked the Lovers in two voices.
“Whichever one you like best,” responded Solomon. He wondered if he really wasn’t aware of his true identity.
“He doesn’t know,” said The Magician. His voice was surprisingly high and fine.
The others all went silent when he spoke.
“This space does not allow us to fully comprehend one another. Your identity is safe unless it decides that you’re a threat, or you share it freely.”
Solomon immediately began to cast Mental Fortification with a focus on The Empress’s beauty mark.
The Magician smiled, which seemed to set the others at the table on edge.
“Do not worry. I am not reading your mind. That is also not allowed here. I have simply inducted enough new members to guess at what you are thinking.”
Solomon nodded.
“Your offering,” said Judgement in an even tone as he gently tapped the dais in front of him with the heavy stone he held in his right hand.
“Does this space reflect the same rules as the real world in the case of demonstrating spells?”
“Yes,” answered Judgement simply.
Solomon nodded, pricking his thumb on the horns of his mask. He felt no pain, but blood began to drip from it. He infused it with his mana and extended his right thumb and pointer finger, folding his middle finger two thirds of the way down and his remaining fingers halfway, then he shaped the blood into a lance. He then dismissed the spell and clotted the wound.
“A very simple spell,” remarked Death.
“Too simple,” added Judgement. “Blood manipulation such as that is a trivial thing among the Arcana.”
“I believe it meets our standards,” chimed the Empress. “It’s a forbidden spell, and the basis of much stronger ones.”
“Even if the spell itself was lacking, his control with it… he will have value,” added the Lovers.
Solomon listened carefully. He had the mana transference spell in his back pocket if he needed it, though it would be a difficult thing to demonstrate within the meeting place of the Arcana, he felt that its value would more than meet their standards. The decision hadn’t been made yet though, and he turned his attention to the Magician.
He had an odd look on his face, a kind of concerned smile.
“His offering is worthy. I welcome you to the Arcana.” He turned to his right. “Judgement, I have other matters to attend to, please assign him a suit and explain to him our principles.”
Judgement frowned, but nodded.
The Magician turned to look once more at Solomon with that same strange look, and then vanished in a plume of purple flame.
“Congratulations,” said the Empress with a smile before vanishing. The Lovers winked at him and vanished as well. Death simply disappeared without comment or gesture.
Judgement floated through the dais in front of him and glided until he was in front of Solomon.
“Congratulations,” he said simply. “Now that you have joined the Arcana I must assign you a suit and number. These act as your designation here, and also your rank. The four suits are pentacles, wands, swords, and cups. You don’t necessarily owe any allegiance to your suit, though some choose to place more gravity on it than others. Ace is the lowest of ranks, and King is the highest. Above that are the Major Arcana, we are all equals… though some are perhaps more equal than others.”
Judgement began to circle him as he spoke as if sizing him up. Solomon remained calm as he listened, keeping his eyes forward.
Judgement stopped in front of him. “As they have several openings, I name you the Ace of Pentacles.” Judgement reached out and placed a finger gently against the forehead of his mask. Solomon could feel something form there, and he presumed it was a single pentacle.
“Now, what do you believe the purpose of the Arcana is?” asked Judgement in that same voice that gave him nothing.
“To learn and grow as a mage outside of any restrictions,” Solomon guessed.
“Good. That is the primary purpose. There are many who believe that magic must be controlled and segmented in order for society to thrive. We within the Arcana believe differently. The scope of our differences in thought can vary wildly, but we all believe that no magic should be forbidden. Some of us simply wish to use it selfishly for our own enjoyment, others wish to turn the forbidden into the practical.”
“So it's a place for a free exchange of spells?”
“Spells, materials, concepts, jobs, much like any other secret circle.”
“And how does one exchange materials? Isn’t everything here intangible?”
“The World handles all of it. It is… a unique existence. It cannot reveal who you are to anyone else. It is a part of this place,” he gestured around himself.”
“What is the value of the higher ranks?”
“Trust, primarily. A King of Wands can be trusted to follow through on deals and will be known as a powerful spellcaster. He also has direct access to those of us within the Major Arcana. Higher ranks are also often offered jobs with great rewards from those above them.”
“And how does one advance?”
“A mix of time and contributions. The World handles this as well. Though us within the Major Arcana can move things along more quickly if you are noticed and seen as valuable. In the past those who took direct action against any more… controlling institutions have been rewarded as well.”
“Are there any rules I should know?”
“You may not directly attack another within this space and you may not reveal the existence of the Arcana. These are the only rules. If you wish to kill Three of Wands outside this place that is of no concern, nor is using a spell you learn here to slay another or perform an evil act. With that said I’d recommend that you are careful with your identity and actions. The strong sometimes prey on the weak here and the freshest faces are often their favored targets.”
Solomon nodded. “So it's the same as everywhere else then?” Judgement nearly smiled, at least Solomon thought he did.
“This is all the information needed to truly be a member of the Arcana. As a Minor Arcana I’d recommend looking to your Page, Knight, or King for guidance.”
“Thank you, Judgement.”
He nodded. “I will return you to the main hall. You were called early, so the free exchange has only just begun.”
Very suddenly Solomon found himself standing back in the grand ballroom he’d been in only moments ago. He was surrounded by other men and women in masks that had either wands, swords, cups, or coins on them. Those nearest to where he’d appeared looked at him with curiosity, but he seemed to have arrived just in the middle of someone else making a request.
“-grimoire contains spells related to the principles of forming a homunculus. I am looking to trade for a dragonscale, a pound of alchemical quality crushed sapphire, or any spells related to face changing or invisibility.”
“Is there an actual spell within the grimoire Four of Wands? Or is it just another book of theory?” asked a woman with three cups on her silver mask.
“If one applies the theory within this tome then they can easily find the equivalent spell. Or it can improve understanding of an already existing spell.”
“That’s a no then,” replied Three of Cups.
Solomon quietly stood and listened. He wanted to observe things first. He needed to take care with how he presented himself.