Peddling the divine for temporal power

“Is this all you’ve learned, Morgana? To deal in potions and petty evil”.
– Nicol Williamson’s Merlin

What a man knows not, he to use requires – and what he knows, he cannot use for good.
– Faust

If the alchemist’s goal is to transmute base metal to gold then the successful dabbler truly transmutes gold to base metal. The Dabbler is a peddler in greater forces who, having little natural inclination for magic himself, cheapens the art by ruthlessly pursuing scraps magical power and knowledge from the selfish standpoint of material gain, earthly lust or temporal power. His greed is moderated by the driven obsession of a dedicated collector, stripping the wonder and vitality of magic for its functionality. Dabblers usually harbour a sly, calculating nature beneath a veneer of charm or acquiescence that steadily develops into conceit and coercion as they progress upon the path. Dabblers, though not out-and-out charlatans are quite willing to abuse their influence while obfuscating their methods. Overconfidence, paranoia or indiscretion often leads to their downfall as they inevitably make enemies along their way, fall foul to cursed artefacts, ritual’s organised religion, the authorities or make deals with demons for more power or to sate their lusts (leading to their ruin).

Masks: Faust, Jafar, the evil Visier, The sorcerer in Aladdin, Morgana Le Fay, Black Annis, the Morrigan.

Taboo’s: Dabblers can only use artefacts / rituals when there is a direct benefit to themselves. Others cannot benefit from his rituals or artefacts without paying a price for services rendered, be it a favour, boon or an item of material value.

Also, Sorcerers are driven to possess magical knowledge whenever the opportunity presents itself and once known loath to teach such knowledge (even at a price). Where possible they will obscure their methods to prevent others replicating their results or stealing their secrets.

Symbols: A false grail, fools gold, the chained grimoire, a stuffed alligator, broken chalk, big waxy dribbly candles (for western traditions) also obvious and showy occult paraphernalia cluttered around unassuming objects of true power.

Suspected Avatars in History: Johann Georg Faust, Georgius Sabellicus, Georgius Faustus (possibly all the same person?). Alistair Crowley, Mo Haeng-ryong. Many other occultists and frauds make their way into this list but are hotly disputed dependant on the viewer’s beliefs. Followers of the Dabbler Architype thrive within a tradition of secrecy, not only as very visual proponents of heretical practices but due to their need to hide and protect the knowledge they accumulate – often with nonsence, chicanery and showmanship.

Channels:

1%-50%: Once in contact or made aware of an obtainable occult titbit, ritual, artefact or clue – make an Avatar roll. On a successful roll you can tell if it is authentic and worth pursuing (“by the itching of my palms I knew I was onto something”). The roll in no way indicates its power level, nature or discerns if an Artefact or ritual is cursed in any way.

51%-70%: On a successful Avatar roll you may perform an augury to discern the nature and origin of a suspected magical artefact, potion or ritual (as well as how to operate it and its bans and limitations). The thing in question must be in the user’s possession and the process takes an entire day and night of undisrupted inquiry.

71%-90%: On a successful Avatar roll you can detect in person’s eyes their greatest greed or desire when directed at the Avatar. This alerts the dabbler to those who wish to steal his secrets or their level of desperation to procure his services.

91+%: When a “customer” makes a contract with you to do a favour in return for services rendered you can hold him to it. He is driven to perform his promised task action but may avoid it temporally on a successful Hail Mary Soul roll (which may be made every time the contract forces you to do something against your nature or is stressful). The Dabbler may confront a customer and remind him of his commitment, re-activating the power with a successful Avatar roll.

E.g. Kane accepts magical assistance for an unspecified future favour (big mistake – always specify) and is later told to kill a small time politician. He is focused to kill him; purchasing the gun, and driving directly to where the politician is provokes no Soul roll but pulling the gun out in a crowd, drawing a bead and firing the pistol allows three separate Soul rolls.