Star

XVIII.Star

“Life is judged by the excellence it provided.”

Persona-users have a mixed view of the Star Arcana. On one hand, they are the bearers of excellence, the muses of the arts. Stars are shimmering lights of inspiration in a darkened world.

On the other hand, do they have to be so darned…perky?

The Stars are who they are because they’re hardly victims. They viewed their deaths as just another great adventure, another thing to excel in. Their lives were often marked by extremely good fortune, and they always succeeded where others failed---and because of this, it gives them a cheery outlook on their borrowed lives.

It doesn’t help matters that most Stars are gorgeous and multi-talented. Striking Looks is a common merit for this Arcana to have. They’re personable, beautiful and excellent. What more can they ask for?

This is a question that is often answered by the current Dealer, the Lord Kerry. A staid English gentlemen, Lord Kerry knows that the way of Persona isn’t a game or venture for Stars to excel in. He prefers to see it philosophically, that the Stars are meant to illuminate all to a higher cause of power, in this case the Tarot of the various Arcana. Because of this, he is popular with the other Dealers as someone who is willing to help them with the own individual agendas.

The Lord Kerry sees others succeeding thanks to him as the mission of his Arcana, and he guides his Cards accordingly.

This mission is what makes the Stars….so annoying helpful. They want to do well so much that they overreach. It makes other Persona-users want to slit something, preferably a Star’s wrists.

Stars, however, are not always sweetness and light. They adapt very quickly to situations demanded of them---and if excellence requires a certain degree of ruthlessness, so be it.

The Powers of the Star

Lord Kerry prefers Servitors who are willing to take on challenges with aplomb. He would rather his Cards become catalysts for success. Stars who become impediments to the success of a given mission’s agenda would be wise to succeed as quickly as they can to avoid their Lord’s ire.


Star 1: Inner Radiance
Roll: Manipulation + Numen. 1 Numina.
This ability allows Stars to help others succeed where others could not.

Exceptional Failure: As Failure.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: For every success the Star-user rolls, he may add another die to a target’s die roll. For example, if the Star were to roll 4 successes, he would be able to bequeath 4 dice to an ally. All dice must be given, and all bonus dice must be spent in that given target’s next roll.

Exceptional Success: As Success.

Star 2: Pulse of the Tarot
Roll: Manipulation + Presence. 1 Numina per Arcana rank mimicked, see below.
This ability allows a Star-user to temporarily access the powers of another Arcana.

Exceptional Failure: The Star cannot use his own powers for the rest of the scene.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: The Star-user is able to copy the powers of another Arcana for one turn. He does not need to have a Social Link with the individual whose powers he is mimicking. Note however that this ability does not grant the Star-user familiarity with the powers of the other Arcana. He must also pay the additional costs of the power he is mimicking regardless if he knows it or not.

Exceptional Success: The Star-user does not need to pay the additional cost of the power he is mimicking.

Star 3: Iridescence
Roll: Manipulation + Presence + Numen. 1 or 2 Numina.
This ability allows the Persona-user to refract and change colors with his physical form.

Exceptional Failure: The Persona-user’s form is locked in a shifting color pattern for the duration of the scene.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: The Star-user’s body is covered in pulsing, changing lights. He may use this light to illuminate an area equal to sphere as large as his Numen rating in diameter (by feet.) This effect costs 1 Numen. If the Persona is in the Dark Hour or Fog, he can use this ability to “illuminate” that area and render it normal for the duration of a scene. No Shadow may enter an area illuminated with Iridescence.

Exceptional Success: As Success.

Star 4: Polaris
Roll: Resolve + Numen. 3 Numina.
This ability allows the Star-user to force a path open between the waking world and the Dark Hour.

Exceptional Failure: As Failure.

Failure: The power fizzles, signaling Shadows to a disturbance in that area.

Success: A channel of light is opened from the Persona-user to the waking world. Non-Persona-users who have stumbled into the Dark Hour can use this path to exit the Dark Hour. In addition, the Persona-user can use this ability to open gateways to the waking world regardless of what alternative dimension or realm he may currently be in. He must spend 3 extra Numina per being or person who wish to use his gateway to enter the waking world.

Exceptional Success: As Success.

Star 5: Supernova
Roll: Resolve + Presence + Numen. 5 Numina minimum, see below.
This ability allows the Star-user to channel his power into a burst of energy.

Exceptional Failure: The power fails to function, and the Persona-user takes points of bashing damage equal to his Numen rating.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: A sphere of energy as Iridescence surrounds the Star-user that explodes outward in a wave. Any being struck by this wave suffers the following effects, based on the amount of Numina spent:

5-All beings get struck for 5 bashing damage.
6-All beings get struck for 5 bashing damage and are flung back, stunned for a turn.
7-All beings are struck for 5 lethal damage and are stunned.
9-All beings are struck for 5 aggravated damage.
10-All beings are struck for 5 aggravated damage, and stunned.
11: As 10 Numina, and any beings not native to a particular plane or dimension as the one the Star-user is currently are banished to his native plane.