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Arcane (Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary)

Backgrounds

Definition

Arcane is a unique Background representing a supernatural field of obscurity surrounding the mage. People overlook you, records about you get misfiled, photographs blur, and surveillance cameras glitch. Arcane is not invisibility; it is cosmic insignificance. You do not vanish, but people simply fail to notice or remember you. Arcane is one of the most distinctive Backgrounds in Mage, reflecting the idea that some Awakened souls exist slightly outside the Consensus. The Tapestry itself seems to route attention around the mage. This makes Arcane invaluable for mages who need to operate covertly, avoid Technocracy surveillance, or simply move through the world without leaving traces. However, high Arcane makes it difficult to maintain lasting relationships or public influence.

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How it works

**Key Uses**: - Subtract Arcane dots from others' attempts to notice, track, or remember you - Records and documentation about you tend to get lost or corrupted - Surveillance technology malfunctions around you **Special Rules**: Arcane subtracts dice from any roll to detect, find, or remember the mage. It does not make you invisible but increases the difficulty of noticing you. Arcane conflicts with Backgrounds like Fame and Influence; you cannot be both obscure and famous. At high levels, even close friends may forget details about you.

Tips

**Build Advice**: Extremely powerful for covert operatives and mages who want to stay off the Technocracy's radar. Avoid if your character needs public presence, social influence, or lasting mundane relationships. **Tradition Synergies**: Euthanatos assassins use Arcane to approach targets unnoticed. Hollow Ones drifting through society benefit from cosmic insignificance. Virtual Adepts who want to be ghosts in the machine find Arcane complements their digital anonymity. **Character Concepts**: Euthanatos silent assassin, Hollow One drifter nobody remembers, Virtual Adept ghost hacker, Dreamspeaker hermit who walks unseen through cities.

Frequently asked questions

Does Arcane make me invisible?

No. Arcane makes you forgettable, not invisible. People can still see you if they look directly at you, but they tend not to. Cameras blur, records vanish, and memories fade. It is a passive, always-on effect rather than active concealment.

Can I have both Arcane and Fame?

Not effectively. The two Backgrounds directly oppose each other. The Storyteller will typically not allow both, as Arcane erases exactly the kind of public presence Fame requires.

Further Reading

Correspondence SphereEuthanatosAll Mage M20 Backgrounds
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