Major Arcana



Major Arcana is a set of twenty-two cards of the Tarot, created by Hecate, given to Giovanni Falcone and finally used by the members of Ala Rubra.

Overview
The Major Arcana or trumps are a suit of twenty-two cards in the Tarot deck. They serve as a permanent trump and suits in games played with the Tarot deck, and are distinguished from the four standard suits collectively known as the Minor Arcana. This specific set of cards had been created by the goddess Hecate as a gift for her grandson, Giovanni. The cards are linked to Hecate's divine source of magical power and can be used as a summon to perform variety of effects.

Each card has a mind of its own and is able to communicate with its "host" after forming the contract. A symbol of the card appeares somewhere on the users body as a proof of ownership.

Weaknesses
Despite Major Arcana being connected to Hecate's magic while performing the effects, they need to "feed" upon their host's energy of the soul if the bond between the two isn't strong enough. Frequent use of the Arcana may cause massive exhaustion, nausea and bleeding from eyes, ears etc. Also, Arcana may refuse to give the host its powers if their soul is not in balance (i.e. hesitating feelings).

All the Arcana without a host will feed on the energy of the contractor of The World card, because it is the main Arcana which binds all of them together.

Cards
Each Major Arcanum depicts a scene, mostly featuring a person or several people, with many symbolic elements.Each has a number (usually in Roman numerals) and a name,

0 - Il Matto: The Fool
The Fool is titled Le Mat in the Tarot of Marseilles, and Il Matto in most Italian language tarot decks. These archaic words mean "the madman" or "the beggar", and may be related to the word for 'checkmate' in relation to the original use of tarot cards for gaming purposes. The Fool is shown as a young man, walking unknowingly toward the brink of a precipice. He is also portrayed as having with him a small dog. The Fool holds a rose in one hand and in the other a small bundle of possessions.

The Fool is the spirit in search of experience. He represents the mystical cleverness bereft of reason within us, the childlike ability to tune into the inner workings of the world. The sun shining behind him represents the divine nature of the Fool's wisdom and exuberance, holy madness or 'crazy wisdom'. On his back are all the possessions he might need. In his hand there is a flower, showing his appreciation of beauty.

Fool's ability is called Word Manipulation. Since it's never known when the fool will tell something that can turn against him, The Fool can transform a spoken word into the actual object, materializing solid words in their depicted form (i.e. Spoken "fire" would create fire). They can turn the words into the actual substance that may still maintain the actual word form. This ability may backfire if spoken incorrectly and, of course, the ability to speak is necessary.

Current Contractor: Leo Valdez

1 - Il Bagatto: The Magician
In French, "the mountebank" or the "sleight of hand artist", a practitioner of stage magic. The Italian tradition calls him Il Bagatto or Il Bagatello. The image that would seem to correspond with the Magician is labeled Artixano, the Artisan; he is the second lowest in the series, outranking only the Beggar. Esoteric decks, occultists, starting with Oswald Wirth, turned Le Bateleur from a mountebank into a magus. The curves of the magician's hat brim in the Marseilles image are similar to the esoteric deck's mathematical sign of infinity.

He represents the potential of a new adventure, chosen or thrust upon one. A journey undertaken in daylight, in the Enlightenment tradition. He brings things out of the darkness into the light. He explores the world in order to master it. He is solar consciousness. He embodies the lesson of “as above, so below," the lesson that mastery in one realm may bring mastery in another. He also warns of the danger of applying lessons from one realm to another.

Magician grants its host the ability of Instinctive Aptitude. The user can instantly learn and understand the complexity and exactness of organisms, objects, and even powers without the need of long-term or special education.

Current Contractor: Alabaster C. Torrington

2 - La Papessa: The High Priestess
In the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck, upon which many modern decks are based, The High Priestess is identified with the Shekhinah, the female indwelling presence of the divine. She wears plain blue robes and sits with her hands in her lap. She has a lunar crescent at her feet, "a horned diadem on her head, with a globe in the middle place" similar to the crown of the ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor, but with the horns having a shape more like half-crescents, and a large cross on her breast. The scroll in her hands, partly covered by her mantle, bears the letters TORA (Torah). She is seated between the white and black pillars - 'J' and 'B' for Jachin and Boaz - of the mystic Temple of Solomon. The veil of the Temple is behind her: it is embroidered with palm leaves and pomegranates. The motif that hangs behind the High Priestess’s throne, veiling what ever mysteries she guards, is suggested in the pattern of The Empress’ gown. The two are sisters, one bringing life into the world, the other inviting the living to the esoteric mysteries. Further behind all of that is what seems to be a body of water, most probably the sea.

Commonly this card is associated with the card reader or the querant, because it is also focused on 'secrets' it also interpreted when a secret is kept or revealed, when you are holding on to the truth or revealing it, the card associated with mystery, when powerful feminine influences and support currently in force for the querant. It can also represent the perfect woman in a man's life, and to a woman it can represent being independently solo perhaps without a man.

The High Priestess hold the power of Divination - User can employ divination, a method of reading the future, the present and the past and/or provide help to a problem at hand by using an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Divination can be achieved by communicating with the supernatural (i.e. gods, demons, spirits, nymphs) or just by reading certain patterns.

Current Contractor: Princess Cassandra of Troy

3 - L'Imperatrice: The Empress
The Empress sits on a throne wearing a starry crown, holding a scepter in one hand. The Scepter is representative of her power over life, her crown has twelve stars representing her dominance over the year, and her throne is in the midst of a field of grain, representative of her dominion over growing things.

The Empress is mother, a creator and nurturer. In many decks she can be shown as pregnant. She can represent the creation of life, of romance, of art or business. The Empress can represent the germination of an idea before it is ready to be fully born. The Empress is often associated with Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love, and indeed the Rider-Waite deck brandishes her symbol upon a heart-shaped bolster. The Empress is also often interpreted to be Demeter, goddess of abundance. She is the giver of earthly gifts, although at the same time, she can be overprotective and possessive.[citation needed] In anger she can withhold, as Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped: Due to her fury and grief, Demeter keeps the Earth cold and barren until Spring when her child is returned

As the ruler, The Empress grants the power of Subjugation - User gain significant influence over intended targets, allowing them to control, strengthen or weaken physically, mentally or magically (including all supernatural powers) and otherwise manipulate their victims as they wish, even summoning beings to serve them or dismiss those they wish to. The user can even extend their power as to switch their victims loyalties to the user with out focusing on controlling them and the victims view the users as kings/queens and their one true masters.

Current Contractor: Rachel Roth (stolen from Arcana Cabana and forced the contract)

4 - L'Imperatore: The Emperor
The Emperor sits on his throne, holding a scepter, accompanied by the heraldic Eagle of the Holy Roman Empire. This is usually on his shield though the heraldic eagle is sometimes a free - standing statue or live bird. He symbolizes the top of the secular hierarchy, the ultimate male ego. The Emperor is the absolute ruler of the world.

The Emperor symbolizes the desire to rule over one's surroundings, and its appearance in a reading often suggests that the subject needs to accept that some things may not be controllable, and others may not benefit from being controlled.

Emperor's power is Belief Inducement - The user can force others to make them believe whatever they want them to believe (for example, they may make someone else believe that they are in love with the user).

Current Contractor: -

5 - Il Papa: The Hierophant
In many modern packs, the Hierophant is represented with his right hand raised in what is known esoterically as the blessing or benediction, with two fingers pointing skyward and two pointing down, thus forming a bridge between Heaven and Earth reminiscent of that formed by the body of The Hanged Man. The Hierophant is thus a true “pontiff”, in that he is the builder of the bridge between deity and humanity. The Hierophant is typically male, even in decks that take a feminist view of the Tarot, such as the Motherpeace Tarot. The Heirophant was also known as "The Teacher of Wisdom."

The Hierophant or Pope card, when upright, commonly suggests to seek guidance, to follow positive advice endorsed to the querant, to do the right thing, to have faith, to keep on the right side of God, to be a positive role model, to be disciplined in your approach to matters and to clear off negative karma.

Hierophant uses the power of Law Creation. The user can create physical laws to bend others to the boundaries of the rule. When the rules have been set then the victims (and the allies) have no chance of escaping them. Unless the victims (and allies) abide to the rules, it's hopeless for them.

Current Contractor: -

6 - Gli Amanti: The Lovers
In some traditions, the Lovers represent relationships and choices. Its appearance in a spread indicates some decision about an existing relationship, a temptation of the heart, or a choice of potential partners. Often an aspect of the Querent's life will have to be sacrificed; a bachelor(ette)'s lifestyle may be sacrificed and a relationship gained (or vice versa), or one potential partner may be chosen while another is turned down. Whatever the choice, it should not be made lightly, as the ramifications will be lasting.

The Lovers are connected by the power of Soul Resonance -  User can harmonize their soul with other souls, synchronizing and multiplying spiritual strength of all participants. Apart from that, the synchronized souls are able to communicate telepathically.

Current Contractor: Piper McLean

[WORK IN PROGRESS...]