Editing The Gift:Characters (section)

==The Young Houses==

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===House Atom Turning===

House Atom Turning was founded in 1921 by scientists working at Princeton University.  Having discovered the existence of magic, they set about researching it using the model most easily accessible to them – Western Hermeticism.  They encountered the Council that same year and were offered membership but resisted joining until 1979, upon which time they gave their house its name.  The house maintains that scientific study is the best approach to magic, just as it is to any other subject.  Atom Turning’s magical style is an odd mix of scientific and Hermetic elements.  Some members of the house think that Hermeticism provides unique and important insights into the nature of the universe, but most just see it as a useful magical tool.  The house remains part of the Council for the sake of safety, but has little loyalty to the organization, seeing the Council's obsession with traditional magic as an irrational devotion to a failed paradigm.

Atom Turning apprentices receive a rigorous general training in the sciences, with much emphasis on the connections between them.  Magical training is likewise as broad as possible, emphasizing insight into the fundamental workings of magic over practical applications.

Cost: 25 points

Skills:  Astronomy, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Operation, Mathematics, Occultism, Physics, Research, Ritual Magic (Western Hermetic), Symbol Drawing (Western Hermetic), Thaumatology.

Spells:

Air:  Purify Air.

Animal:  Beast-Soother.

Body Control:  Itch.

Communication and Empathy:  Sense Life.

Earth:  Seek Earth.

Enchantment:  Enchant.

Fire:  Seek Fire.

Healing:  Body Reading.

Knowledge:  Find Direction.

Light and Darkness:  Light.

Making and Breaking:  Find Weakness.

Plant:  Seek Plant.

Technological:  Seek Machine.


House Stances

Magic:  Magic is just technology that we don’t understand yet.

Themselves: We exist because somebody should be subjecting magic to serious scientific study.

The Council:  They fundamentally support us, but they need to loosen the reigns.

The Old Houses:  Absolutely fascinating!  If only they weren’t so obsessed with secrecy.

The Young Houses:  The closest thing to an academia that mage society is going to get.

The Circle:  Unique and invaluable subjects of study.  What a shame they are too lost in mythology to properly educate themselves.

The Cooperative:  There is a difference between conducting scientific research and worshipping technology.  These houses are often knowledgeable, but they have left rationality behind.

Independents:  The Bridewell Reading Group are scientists like us.  We must have closer contact with them.  The Silver Mirror School revere science, but they do not understand it and lose themselves in mysticism.

===House Cat Hunting===

Cat Hunting was originally a loose association of folklorists with a belief in magic.  They only came together as an organized group and joined the Council when the magical wars of the late 19th century made independence too dangerous.  Today, they do what they have always done; study the cultures of the world in search of secret knowledge.  While they have little loyalty to the Council, they appreciate its usefulness and feel that they in turn can be useful by making sure that the Council is exposed to new ideas and different perspectives.  Even the Old Houses must admit that Cat Hunting often has useful information.  Of all of the Houses of the Council, Cat Hunting mages are the most likely to associate with nature mages, including mages of the Circle.  Cat Hunting mages are often very close politically to Circle mages and see themselves as working to correct the system from the inside.  On the other hand, some Circle mages see Cat Hunting as sellouts, willing to side with the thugs in return for protection.

Apprentices are schooled in folklore, history and magical theory.  Spell training emphasizes the perception of magic and the summoning of spirits, as an aid to greater understanding.

Cost: 22 points

Skills:  Area Knowledge (USA), Exorcism, Folklore (American Indian), Folklore (Modern USA), Folklore (Medieval African), Folklore (Medieval European), History (Modern North American), Occultism, Ritual Magic (American Indian), Ritual Magic (Western Hermetic), Symbol Drawing (Western Hermetic), Thaumatology.

Spells:

Animal:  Beast-Soother.

Healing:  Final Rest.

Knowledge:  Detect Magic, Mage Sense, Mage Sight, Seek Magic.

Necromantic:  Death Vision, Final Rest, Sense Spirit, Summon Spirit.


House Stances

Magic:  Magic takes on a huge variety of forms across the world.  Hermetic magic is probably no better or worse than any other form of magic and it certainly doesn’t have all the secrets.

Themselves:  We study magic in all its manifestations in all cultures.  Why?  Because it is there!

The Council:  We only joined to get protection and they only took us to swell their numbers.  We are allies, for now.

The Old Houses:  They are dusty arrogant fools, but they do know a lot of old secrets.

The Young Houses:  The closest thing we have to allies.  They are a lot more open-minded than the Old Houses and less annoying too.

The Circle:  We need closer ties with these mages.  They know a lot about things the Old Houses never dreamed of.

The Cooperative:  Renouncing your humanity isn’t the answer.  Coming to terms with your humanity would serve you better.

===House Crane Flying===

House Crane Flying was founded and joined the Council in 1954.  It was made up of disaffected members of Atom Turning and Snake Drinking who cared more about the pursuit of art than their academic studies.  Today, it is a haven for artistic mages looking for fellowship and protection.  There are those among both the Old Houses and Young Houses who question Crane Flying’s suitability to be a part of the Council, seeing Crane Flying's focus on art as trivial and pretentious.  On the other hand, Flying Crane produces magical artifacts of excellent workmanship, making the House an important asset to the Council.  For their part, Flying Crane often provides the most radically political members of the Council, advocating reform and liberalization.  House Crane Flying feels little loyalty to the Council, siding with the establishment only for the sake of safety.  Many mages have ties to the Cooperative, an organization that Flying Crane has been repeatedly asked to join.

Apprenticeship in Crane Flying is by no means easy and talent alone is never enough.  Contrary to some prejudices, Crane Flying requires serious academic study of society and magic, on the grounds that the artist must engage the world.  However, after becoming a mage, many lose their interest in the academic side of things and focus on self-expression instead.  Magical training focuses on the manipulation of human senses.

Cost: 21 points

Skills:  Artist (Any), Artist (Any), History (Modern USA), History (Modern European), Occultism, Psychology, Streetwise, Ritual Magic (Western Hermeticism), Ritual Magic (Wiccan), Symbol Drawing (Western Hermetic), Thaumatology.

Spells:

Illusion and Creation:  Complex Illusion, Perfect Illusion, Simple Illusion.

Making and Breaking:  Inspired Creation.

Mind Control:  Alertness, Foolishness, Keen Sense (Hearing), Keen Sense (Sight).

Necromancy:  Death Vision.

Sound:  Sound.


House Stances

Magic:  Magic is a medium by which the human spirit can express itself.

Themselves: We do what we like.  How many mages can say that?

The Council:  Stuffy, repressed and closed minded.  But frankly, we need protection.  Maybe the Council can be changed.

The Old Houses:  They know a lot about magic but are too myopic and have too much of a stranglehold on the Council.

The Young Houses:    Probably the sanest faction in this insane world.  Unfortunately, they are a bit detached from their humanity.

The Circle:  We need closer ties with these people.  They understand much.

The Cooperative:  Very creative!  These are true magicians.

Independents:  The Unchained are often inspired artists.  We need to hang out more.  The Temple of the White Garland are incredibly pretentious and take themselves insanely seriously, but some of them are genuinely great artists.

===House Rat Sniffing===

House Rat Sniffing was founded in 1916 by disaffected members of the Old Houses, who believed that the traditional mysticism should give way to reason.  They are dedicated to learning the truth about the universe, often leading them to neglect more mundane and practical matters.  The house has a reputation for both wisdom and foolishness and if their guidance is often sought, they advice is also often ignored.  The mages of Rat Sniffing, however, rarely care very much what mages from other orders think of them.  On the other hand, they have a tendency to become focussed on status games within their own House.  While many Rat Sniffing mages are idealistic, they are also particularly likely to burn out, becoming cynical, apathetic or corrupt.  Rat Sniffing vendettas, often founded on a disagreement over theory, are known for being particularly bitter and persistent.  The House is badly organized and House politics tends to be dominated by feuding cliques.

Apprenticeship requires a broad study of history, philosophy and the social sciences, to help the student gain perspective on the place of humanity in the universe.  While the house has no official religious stances, it does require study of the Christian religion, on the grounds that the faith plays such a significant role in Western history and thought.  Magical training focuses on spells that provide information.

Cost: 23 points

Skills:  History (Ancient European), History (Ancient Middle East), History (Any), Mathematics (Logic), Philosophy (Western Analytic), Philosophy (Any), Psychology, Research, Ritual Magic (Western Hermeticism), Sociology, Symbol Drawing (Western Hermetic), Thaumatology, Theology (Christianity).

Spells:

Knowledge:  Analyze Magic, Ancient History, Detect Magic, History, Identify Spell, Mage Sense, Mage Sight, Pre-History, Seek Magic, Sense Mana.


House Stances

Magic:  The reason that nobody can agree on what magic is and what it is for is that it gets defined a thousand different ways.

Themselves:  We are a group of seekers after truth.

The Council:  We are safer here than we would be anywhere else.

The Old Houses:  You don’t find truth by trying to prove yourself right.  You find truth by trying to prove yourself wrong.

The Young Houses:  We have much to learn from each other.  Snake Drinking understands the big picture better than the others do, though.

The Circle:  More dogmatic than the Old Houses.

The Cooperative:  The last thing the world needs is more religions.  They do raise a lot of good questions though.  The Human Society is particularly thoughtful and interesting to talk to.

Independents:  The Silver Mirror School are fascinating philosophers.  They aren’t always right, but they are always clever and interesting.

===House Snake Drinking===

House Snake Drinking was founded in 1880 as “The Boston Anthropological Society”, an organization dedicated to the study of magic.  The founders were convinced that magic was an art lost by modern western civilization, but well known in other times and places.  They hoped that by historical and anthropological research, they might collect such knowledge.  The society encountered the Council in 1885 and was admitted in 1900, at which point it renamed itself “Snake Drinking”.  The house generally frowns on mysticism, but also encourages a respect for all cultures and religions.  Once considered “stodgy”, Snake Drinking has embraced the modern age and the improved research methods that it has provided.  Their interest is not simply academic.  Old, foreign or secret artifacts and writings may bring a mage power and wealth, and competition between Snake Drinking mages can turn deadly.  House Snake drinking is firmly loyal to the Council, viewing it as the only alternative to anarchy and war.

Apprenticeship involves a broad general training in the social sciences with particular emphasis placed on magical theory and tradition.  Magical training focuses on learning to find information for yourself.

Cost: 24 points

Advantages:  Language (Any, Broken)

Skills:  Computer Operation, History (Any Two), Occultism, Philosophy (Western Analytic), Psychology, Research, Ritual Magic (Western Hermeticism), Ritual Magic (Wiccan), Sociology, Symbol Drawing (Western Hermetic), Thaumatology.

Spells:

Air:  Seek Air.

Communication and Empathy:  Sense Foes.

Earth:  Seek Earth.

Illusion and Creation:  Simple Illusion.

Knowledge:  Ancient History, History, Prehistory, Seeker, Trace.

Meta:  Detect Magic.


House Stances

Magic:  Magic is the ultimate product of human cultures.  If you want to understand magic, you need to understand those cultures.

Themselves: We aren’t the only house conducting important magical research.  We are just the best.

The Council:  Society wouldn’t function without police.  The Council may be corrupt, but corrupt police are better than no police at all.

The Old Houses:  They are an incredible resource of information.

The Young Houses:  We are the future.  Nobody else has our rigorousness and organizational ability.

The Circle:  They are as great a resource, in their way, as the Old Houses are.

The Cooperative:  Wow!  I’m not sure if what they are doing is good or bad but it certainly requires study.