Why does a Navigator need an Emperor's Tarot Deck for as their initial equipement? Shouldn't the Astropath start with it since it's more useful to them?
Or do Navigators use the Tarot to travel the Warp?
Emperor's Tarot
I kind of wondered that too, maybe a misprint? Or maybe Navigators as a rule are very superstitious?
While there's a fair reason to believe that the Navigator Houses become far more mystical/superstitious/devout than the average Imperial citizen as a coping strategy (their job is staring into the crazy-making quasi-reality of the Warp, for Him-on-Earth's sake!), it's also worth noting that they have a vested interest in appearing pious and holy. Mutants don't generally have the best of positions in the Imperium, sanctioned and politically powerful or not.
Alasseo said:
While there's a fair reason to believe that the Navigator Houses become far more mystical/superstitious/devout than the average Imperial citizen as a coping strategy (their job is staring into the crazy-making quasi-reality of the Warp, for Him-on-Earth's sake!), it's also worth noting that they have a vested interest in appearing pious and holy. Mutants don't generally have the best of positions in the Imperium, sanctioned and politically powerful or not.
Sounds legitim to me. =)
Alasseo said:
While there's a fair reason to believe that the Navigator Houses become far more mystical/superstitious/devout than the average Imperial citizen as a coping strategy (their job is staring into the crazy-making quasi-reality of the Warp, for Him-on-Earth's sake!), it's also worth noting that they have a vested interest in appearing pious and holy. Mutants don't generally have the best of positions in the Imperium, sanctioned and politically powerful or not.
Do Navigators even have the ability to use the Tarot in a non-charlatan way? While mechanic they are concidered a psyker but ability also? And people of influence interacting with and spending time around, would find a Navigator to be somewhat less psykerish than say a babbling diviner imo. If i was an Inquisitor/Lord Captain i might wonder why a Nav would be trying to see the future when he should be just trying to keep the ship from running into a warp storm or beaching on a massive warp kraken lol. The whole idea of a Nav using a deck like that is kind of off to me. To keep one around just for showing M/S/Devoutness is also a little off...
From what I understand, both Navigators and Astropaths have the ability to divine and predict the future, but they do so in different ways. In both instances, use of the Imperial Tarot as a focus can certainly help the quality of their predictions. In fact, I remember reading somewhere that there have been some interesting conflicts between navigator houses and the adeptus astra telepathica over who may be given exclusive rights to act as seers or diviners to particularly powerful and influential individuals, such as Rogue Traders or Sector Governors.
Anyone can have Trade (Soothsayer), just sayin'.
jareddm said:
From what I understand, both Navigators and Astropaths have the ability to divine and predict the future, but they do so in different ways. In both instances, use of the Imperial Tarot as a focus can certainly help the quality of their predictions. In fact, I remember reading somewhere that there have been some interesting conflicts between navigator houses and the adeptus astra telepathica over who may be given exclusive rights to act as seers or diviners to particularly powerful and influential individuals, such as Rogue Traders or Sector Governors.
Any idea where you read that?
I'm pretty certain I remember it from the old Inquisitor Mag article on Navigators.
*Beetles off to go check*
Ok, Navigators apparently have been known for Divination, and used the Tarot for a focus, and indeed powerful Navigators have been known to have developed "normal" psychic powers, but I can't see anything about a divination rivalry with the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. It'd be pretty much in character though, with the general tenor of the Navis Nobilite houses.
On another, but related note, not all who use the Imperial Tarot have psychic powers or the proper psy-reactive crystal deck, with the case of tanned mutant hide. "Mundane" Tarot decks are relatively widespread for the "traditional" diviner, and are noted for being used in a number of card games (some of which are considered heretical/blasphemous, but not all)