Homebrew Class: Artisans.

[geistnet]

WHAT ARE ARTISANS?

The earliest record of the Artisans dates back to the Aryan civilization in India, revolving around small cults that broke off from the main practice of Hinduism. The Artisans – people capable of manipulating “the small god” within them to affect their surroundings with their drawings – were the religious leaders of these cults. It is interesting to note that none of these cults were aware of each other at first, and few ended up coming into contact.

Other Artisans throughout history were traced back to a few tribes in both North and South America, Africa, Australia and small islands in Southeast Asia and Oceania, and to villages in Tibet and distant regions of China. It was only with the entrance of the Methuselah that these individual practices of the gift came to be recognized under a single name.

It is not certain whether Artisans are completely human, or if they are simply something close to Mages with a very specific skill set. Artisan lore tells stories of ancient Artisans being the children of men and spirits, or men and supernatural creatures; however, there are also stories that read remarkably like encounters with the Fae, or with Awakened combining their knowledge of the Mysteries in order to develop spells who make use of drawings to channel the magic of the Supernal Reality into the physical world. Only a few things are certain: Artisans, for all intents and purposes, APPEAR to be completely human, and the gifts appear to be passed down through blood. Artisans, however, are incredibly rare: there are hardly ever more than ten in a continent within a generation, and there have been instances where centuries passed before reports of another Artisan appeared.

POWERS & ABILITIES

An Artisan has similar functions to Ameterasu, the main character of the game Okami: by “painting” things into their surroundings, an Artisan can temporarily breathe life into their drawings, bringing them out into the world. They can also manipulate natural forces, add “details” to pre-existing objects, and even “erase mistakes” – even if said “mistake” happens to be an opponent’s entire arm.

ARTISANS IN TODAY'S VIGIL

Artisans were once so rare that few Keepers of the Vigil were even aware of their existence. Aurora Santos and Cora Bahaghari – Hunters, and two Artisans themselves – released the spiritual fetters upon the human soul sometime during the Darkest Vigil, which resulted in an explosion of their numbers since 2045.

Still, Artisans are one of the smallest supernatural groups in the world. Many jokingly call them an “endangered species”, given how tensions between mortals and supernaturals remain high. Most Artisans, upon awakening, are immediately sent to the School of Colors in the Philippines, where they are given sanctuary and trained in the use of their gift.

GOT QUESTIONS?

Players who are interested in making an Artisan can download our guide here. For the full document on character creation, download our guide here.