Jade

When I was writing that segment in Doomslayers, I asked Rich Dansky what the practice marks of the Jade Arcanoi were, and was told they weren't canonically set down anywhere. I assumed that they would have marks similar in appearance to the arts of the Stygian dead.

I've recently been using Jade Arcanoi extensively in the Flatbush and Stockton Posse KotE game. While not canonical, I've compiled a full set. In the absence of canonical markings and a strong personal determination to make up markings of your own, these will probably fit the bill rather neatly.

* Way of the Scholar: Wraiths who know the way of the scholar carry themselves with the unmistakable dignity of the sage. Wraiths who follow the Way of the Scholar often shape their corporal fingernails to tremendous length or otherwise render their hands unsuitable for hard labor to show their elevated status.

* Way of the Artisan: The Artisan's fingers are long and thin, trained to the very precise, almost insectile motions required to shape jade.

* Way of the Merchant: Aside from the eerie greenish glow emitted when the Arcanos is in use, the art leaves its mark on the Merchant in other ways. Merchants smell faintly of incense and burnt prayers, and most seem deceptively outgoing, always brimming with good cheer or some other positive emotion.

* Way of the Farmer: To cow and harvest the kuei, the farmer must themselves awaken the bestial characteristics within them. Farmers radiate a slight but unmistakable aura of menace, and their death's visage often has small tusks, kettle-black skin, burning red eyes or other vestigial demonic attributes.

* Way of the Soul: Its intensely private nature makes Way of the Soul difficult to detect. Nevertheless, the canny observer may notice that the eyes of the wraith who has mastered this Arcanos glitter with supernal determination.

* Chains of the Emperor: It may not even be possible to learn this Arcanos without enjoying the Guard's unusual spiritual condition. Nevertheless, if it were, it would tend to make the user's physical appearance resemble that of one of the Guard - surely a death sentence in the Yellow Springs.

Dark Arcanoi

* Contaminate: A habit of immediately repeating sentences in a hushed voice, with slightly different words and often a somewhat less-pleasant meaning.

* Corruption: The wraith gains subtle manners from the consort that look slightly out of place on him.

* Hive-mind: Tumorous growths on the wraith's head.

* Larceny: Corpus begins to resemble a jigsaw puzzle (from bits and pieces stolen from other creatures and kept from Oblivion)

* Maleficence: A foul-smelling vapor that sometimes rises from the wraith's Corpus (usually from the mouth, like breath on a cold day)

* Shroud-Rending: Cancerous tissue around sensory organs, especially eyes.

* Tempest-Weaving: Small cuts and scars on hands from pulling sharp things and thoughts out of the soul-storm.

* Tempestos: Scratch marks on the Corpus (similar to those made by sand or ice blown by high winds.