Enchanters on the Path of Thistle
Scions of the Watchtower of the Lunargent Thorn in the Realm of Arcadia
Kingdom of Enchantment and Abode of the Fae
Acanthus is one of the five Paths for mages in Mage: The Awakening.
- Their theme is Luck, their mood is Mercurial Flux, and their Tarot card The Fool.
- Ruling Arcana: Fate, Time
- Inferior Arcana: Forces
The Acanthus, often referred to as the Enchanters, are those mages who have Awakened to the Supernal Realm of Arcadia, the abode of fae and realm of illusion, enchantment, and constant change. They are characterised, at least by their fellow Awakened, as flighty, reckless, and irresponsible. This is, to a large extent, true. The precognitive abilities of the Acanthus allow them to sidestep the setbacks and hardships that other mages and especially Sleepers must endure or overcome. They tend to rely very much on themselves and their uncanny luck and timing. Since theirs is the mastery of the two Arcana of foresight and fortune, this happy-go-lucky attitude serves them in better stead than it does most, but they are marked by impatience and a lack of proper planning ability, and as such are often led into strife by their refusal to plan ahead.
The Enchanters, upon Awakening, have their minds opened to the endless possibilities of destiny and the myriad pathways of the time stream. This may go far to explain why the Acanthus seem so hesitant to commit themselves to anything or to focus on one thing for any length of time; the innumerable opportunities they catch a glimpse of make it seem as though nothing is impossible and as though no mistake cannot be reversed. This is what the other Awakened suggest, at any rate, and it may shed light on the behaviour of the typical Acanthus. The Enchanters are renowned amongst the other Paths as diviners and oracles of incredible skill, but this has done little to alleviate the popular stereotype of Acanthus as flighty, irresponsible, and generally unconcerned with the world around them. This is, to an extent, true.
Acanthus mages are often rather mercurial, governed more by their own emotions than by any logic or sense of duty. This stems from their fey, otherworldly nature, picked up in Arcadia. Combined with their natural curiosity and the fact that they tend to bore easily, this passion makes it difficult for them to commit to a task they find dull or meaningless. But this flightiness brings a lighter side, one rather less common amongst the grim Mastigos, the sombre Moros, the uptight Obrimos and the intense Thyrsus; the Acanthus know how to have fun. In a world beset by monsters and demons, the jocular manner and amusing antics of the Enchanters provide a much-needed source of levity for the Awakened. The sense that anything is possible surrounds the Enchanters, and serves as a powerful source of hope to other mages.
