TAROT (AKA CARDCAPTOR), the Spirit Binding Pokegirl

TAROT (AKA CARDCAPTOR), the Spirit Binding Pokegirl

Type: Very Near Human
Element: Magic
Frequency: Uncommon
Diet: Human Standard
Role: Variable Range Magical Assault and Support
Libido: Average
Strong Vs: Fighting, Ghost, Poison, Psychic
Weak Vs: Dark, Bug, Normal
Attacks: Baton Hit, Yell, Love 'N' Affection, Draw
Enhancements: Enhanced Agility (x3), Youthful, Enhanced Endurance (x3), Aura Sight, Disease Resistance, Phase Sight, Phase Touch, Spirit Sense
Evolves: Mystic (Normal, completed a deck of cards), Duelist (battle stress, Duel Monsters deck nearby)
Evolves From: None
Revised: Jan 2011

Created towards the beginning of the revenge war, this breed of pokegirl was created as a variable combat and support breed. While used sparingly during the War, this breed became more common after thresholds began, as the Tarot breed is one of the most common thresholds for human girls of mixed magical pokegirl heritage next to the Witch. These spell casters do not cast spells in a classical fashion, but rather do so through the use of contracted spirits in the form of cards. Named Tarot due to many of the breed calling their cards by such names as 'Fool', 'Moon', or other known names or esoteric cards from the Major Arcana of tarot. Also referred to as the Cardcaptor by many tamers, this magical pokegirl is commonly used in harems, though individual's abilities vary widely.

Most Tarot are rather short, the average of the breed standing no taller than just above four feet in height and usually with a similarly small chest, due to the breed's Youthful enhancement. The appearance of age runs a bell curve with the average member of this breed appearing around 16 years of age, though variations of as much as 4 years from this average have been noted. These magical pokegirls run the gamut of the human appearances, from facial structure to skin tones and hair/eye colors, making them very difficult to immediately identify as pokegirls.

The magic this breed utilizes is unlike most other forms of magic, in that the breed contracts pokegirl spirits in order to utilize a small portion of their powers. These spirits are placated, usually through talking or battling, before being sealed into a card, which the Tarot can then use. Generally, the very first spirit that the breed captures is a spirit that the pokegirl has grown up with, due to the breed's Phase Sight being active from birth. Indeed, often times girls born with the bloodtrait of the same name threshold into this breed. However the first card comes about, the breed is ultimately driven by a need to capture more spirits to add to their 'deck'.

A Tarot has two implements to focus their unusual magical abilities through; their baton, and the cards themselves. The design of the baton varies by individual, and is often a reflection of the breed member's attitude and personality. Where this item comes from or how it is created is unknown, beyond that it's intrinsically summoned upon thresholding. The baton is, for all intents and purposes, the controlling wand for the spirits that also transforms the spirits into cards. Once a pokegirl ghost is captured and bound (not to be confused with ghost types, which the process does not work with), it is able to be commanded by the Cardcaptor and can assume two states, a resting form of a simple stylized card; and an hybrid 'in use' form which varies by spirit but generally makes the user Tarot look as if she had suddenly been G-Spliced with the spirit's breed. In general, the Tarot obtains 21 cards by way of capturing. Each of these cards have an a closely related series of effects, three total, ranging from attacking to healing or teleportation to shielding. These effects of course, are dependent upon the spirit bound into the card. It takes time for the Tarot to hunt down spirits, and then they must battle and capture the spirits before binding them into a card, meaning that the more powerful individuals of the breed become, the more cards they obtain, and vice versa.

Most Tamers whom do not have a Tarot mistakenly think that this guarantees a literal horde of available attacks. The reality is quite different. Even when manifested in their 'in use form, a captured spirit still draws power from the pokegirl herself. Powerful members of the breed with the willpower or capability to manifest more than two Cards at a time during battle is rare indeed. Even manifesting three to four Cards in the in use form to partake even such a casual activity as traveling can quickly leave this breed tired and helpless. It's worth noting that as the spirits bound are souls of other pokegirls, they do have wills of their own, and can occasionally manifest desires and actions independent of their creator, though usually not to any physical or property damage. It should be noted to those that assume these cards can be separated from the breed that the Tarot has the ability to instantly summon captured cards back to her. Likewise, the death of the pokegirl immediately frees the bound spirits, allowing them to move on or stay at their own wills.

Due to the variable nature of the breed's abilities, battle styles should be taken on an individual basis. However, the way the breed battles is universally reliant on their captured cards. Upon activating a card, the Tarot's body is possessed by the spirit bound within their magical item, taking on a slight appearance shift as well as some of the abilities of the breed of the bound pokegirl spirit. This 'in use' form gives the breed a three techniques that were known to the spirit that are usually either defensive or ranged, due to the less durable nature of this spell casting breed (A Tarot with a Charmelons based fire elemental card would likely have Fireball, Flamethrower, and Burning Hands). And while use of additional cards stacks these granted techniques, it also exponentially drains the user. It has been tested in a few magical academies, but no human or other spirits can be bound into cards, the breed can only capture pokegirl spirits in this method. Studies have also shown that menace breeds are as they were in life, typically un-capturable and un-bindable.

The personalities and taming preferences of the breed should also be taken individually, as this breed is as variable as humans are. One universal trait is that the breed dislikes the Saltee and Sarama, due to their opposing treatment of spirits. Trends have been noted that Tarots are generally quick witted and innovative, which sometimes extends into the taming room. Due to the breed's Youthful enhancement, questions about the legality of owning a Tarot often arise for those that lean to the left of the bell curve. Simple verification by way of recalling the pokegirl into a regular pokeball usually solves this, though like with many chibi templated pokegirls, the sexual preferences of Tamers who own younger appearing members of the breed are often called into question. No matter what the breed's age appearance, these magical pokegirls generally have a surprisingly healthy libido, with little shame in acknowledging this fact. If allowed, many also enjoy dressing in clothes to accentuate their sexuality.

The feral state of a Tarot is highly variable, due to one or two of the bound spirits possessing the pokegirl and acting out their own feral state(s). The breed does not capture or bind cards in this state, though any parthogenically feral born members of the breed also act in a similar manner, and when tamed, they have a spirit based card based on their feral state. Theories abound on how this phenomenon happens, though one prevalent thought it that the bound spirit cleaves off some of itself in a cloning fashion similar to parthogenesis, and these 'daughter spirits' then go own to possess and be born with their host Tarot. Careful observation of the breed is required to determine which type of pokegirl spirit possessed the breed, and how best to capture and tame the pokegirl.

As stated previously, becoming a Tarot is a rather common result for thresholding incidents. Only a hint of magical pokegirls in a girl's family history is apparently needed for this to occur, though usually Phase Sight as a bloodtrait is a decent indicator. Threshold is nearly undetectable, as usually nothing changes in the transforming pokegirl's appearance. Usually, the transformed pokegirl has at least one spirit that has been something of a friend to them in their younger years, which then becomes their first card. Some thresholders can escape detection for weeks or months, though their need to collect spirits often drives them to travel or otherwise reveal themselves. Thresholders are commonly sold to magic schools or ranches.