Astrology

'Terminus set the stars in the night, so that Man's gaze might pierce the night, and he set them gyrating with the rhythm of the world, so that Man might know his present and his future.'

The astrologers may indeed gaze into the past, present and future, foretelling and comprehending through diligent study of the gyrations of the spheres.

Horary astrology answers questions about immediate concerns. Those who can afford to do so consult an astrologer ahead of any important event. Betrothals and marriages are more likely to have happy outcomes if they are made on suitable days, and business ventures, travels, even battles should only be undertaken when the stars are right. Horary astrologers also warn against dies mal, dismal days when no business of importance should be undertaken. The exact councel of horary astrologers is dependent on the person's natural horoscope (see below).

Judicial astrology is concerned with long-term trends and upcoming events, and may catch glimpses of events lying decades into the future. Judicial astrology is the most difficult part of the art by far, and is of little use in the hands of a non-augur. Judicial astrology is a tool which may often turn in the hand of the user. The foretellings are general and cryptic, although they are usually easily interpreted in hindsight.

Natural astrology analyzes a person's nature from the positions of the heavenly bodies at the time of his birth. Most of this document is concerned with natural astrology. It is fairly reliable, and players are encouraged to choose a sign which fits their character to some extent, and to use the signs as inspiration.

The primary astrological determinant of a person's nature is the star sign which he is born under; Other determinants are the phase of the mooon and the time of the day.

Natural astrology may, among other things, make predicitions as for the health and humour of the person.

Sign	Date	Element	Ability	Disability	Virtue	Vice
Altar	1.1 - 9.2	Quintessence	Creativity	Oblivion	Diligence	Pride
Tree	10.2-17.3	Earth	Endurance	Stasis, rigidity	Charity	Sloth
Mantichora	18.3-26.4	Fire	Cunning	Langour	Content	Lust
Sphinx	27.4-10.6	Air	Communication	Obsession	Temperance	Wrath
Dragon	11.6 – 18.7	Water	Power	Foolishness	Valiance	Gluttony
Wheel/Mirror	19.7 – 26.8	Quintessence	Vision	Pawn (unwill)	Honesty	Avarice
Mortal	27.8 – 5.10	Earth	Will	Decay	Independence	Delusion
Angel	6.10 – 12.11	Fire	Wisdom	Bluntness	Humility	Dependence
Stag	13.11-20.12	Air	Swiftness	Weakness	Chastity	Cowardice
Serpent	21.12- 28.13	Water	Propagation	Silence	Pacifism	Envy

Star Signs

The verse of abilities: An altar to make, a tree to preserve, a manticora to hide, a sphinx to tell, a dragon to destroy, a mirror to see, a mortal to demand, an angel to understand, a stag to hasten, a serpent to propagate.

Altars and Angels are thought to make good priests, Dragons are considered fit warriors, Mantichorae make expert scroundels, and Sphinxes make sages. Mirrors and Mortals may make good wizards. But this is more superstition than fact.

The Phases of the Moon

The phases of the moon do affect the influence of one's primary birthsign, which waxes and wanes in strength with the moon. A person born on the night of the full moon (the 14th/15th) will usually be the most stereotypical of his star sign, while a person born on the night of the new moon (the 28th/1st) will be hard to place in terms of his star sign. A person born as the moon is waxing will show more of the virtues and abilities/virtues of his sign, and perhaps be more inclined to display the disabilities/sins of the sign preceeding his, while a person born under the waning moon will show more of the disabilities/sins of her own sign, and perhaps more of the abilities/virtues of the sign following.

Special Dates

Witches' Sabbaths are days of power, for good and ill.

Nerganalia (13.13): This day is the day of the wicked, and serpents born on this day are said to be Malign Serpents. They are warlike rather than peaceful, and extremely envious.

Fool's Day (1.0): The 365th day of the year, which is not in any month, when the moon is not seen, and the safeguards of Cosmos are at their weakest. This is the sole day without a birth sign - only monstrosities are born on this day.

The Hours of the Day

The hour of birth also influence the nature of the born.