How Arcana Works

Each arcana has three touchstones. Pick or randomly determine a style, essence, and form by rolling 2d on each section of the Arcana Crucible below. Assign 1d to the column and 1d to the row (or reverse the two) to find two touchstone words, then choose your favorite.

Pick two out of these three words (a style + form, essence + form, or style + essence) for the first two touchstones.

Choose a function as the last touchstone to determine its general use, then decide on a thematic name.

The effects of the arcana are decided upon the first use and are dependent on their tier. Once used, note the arcana’s magical effect. (ex. This bottle creates a thick fog in the area—the spirit of an honorable king bolsters your might and vigor.) This cannot be changed or reinterpreted once set, though the mechanical effects may differ.

Tiers

Minor Arcana: Bestows cantrips based on the touchstones.

Major Arcana: Bestows cantrips and a 3d power pool to cast spells based on the touchstones. This pool refreshes each session.

Mythic Arcana: Bestows cantrips and a 5d power pool to cast spells based on the touchstones. Drop 1d, then roll for a potent effect. This pool refreshes each session.

*see below for examples of types of results can be expected based on cantrip/spell/potent spell to get an idea of power and limits of your arcana.

Expendable Arcana

Many kinds of arcana are limited-use, such as potions, scrolls, and rune tiles. These have more powerful effects than usual, and their effect is one higher than their tier, but don't refresh each session—once used up, they're gone. This means that minor expendable arcana uses a 3d power pool to cast spells, but it doesn't come back. Only trivial expendable arcana can bestow cantrips.

Mythic expendable arcana can only be used once and produce a single ritual-level magical effect after an 8d timer pool.

Trivial arcana is always expendable, and bestows cantrips based on the touchstones for the scene.

How to get Arcana

Characters may only have 1 arcana of each tier, excluding expendable and those granted from talents. You may get them in the following ways:

The Marketplace

Players can spend Shard on arcana in the marketplace, which refreshes each season. There's only one of each item, meaning if someone purchases it, others will have to wait for something else. Once the stock has rotated, unpurchased items are gone. The marketplace mainly has expendable arcana, and items are usually minor, though some major items may appear as well.

Permanent Arcana Marketplace Costs: Minor [9], Major [18].

Expendable Arcana Marketplace Costs: Minor [3], Major [9].

Downtime

Players can create their own arcana and decide how their character plans on obtaining it. Arcana Pieces are crafted as an Endeavor, then combined and paid for with Shard. Mythic Arcana requires a quest to obtain; the character may hear a rumor of this magic item being transferred in a caravan, lost in nearby ruins, or they’re having it crafted and need a special reagent.

Permanent Arcana Crafting Costs: Minor [6], Major [12], Mythic [18].

Expendable Arcana Crafting Costs: Minor [2], Major [4], Mythic [6].

A PDF of the new arcana rules can be found here.