Editing The Gift:Characters (section)

===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.