Arete N/A, Quintessence N/A, Not Avail­ able for Purchase

Japanese art has found a global audience, with the wealthy and aristocrats clamoring for more. Paintings depicting the transito­ ry nature of the seasons has long been a popular subgenre within the Land of the Rising Sun. Because traditional Japanese

calendar marks 24 major divisions in season — each with three subdivisions — there are 72 minor seasons to be captured in art, a fact that drives collectors wild. Naturally, painted shoji screens — free-standing screens made of silk and wood — have become favorites, although finding safe storage or ample display space is a natural problem for dedicated enthusiasts.

Ohta Kazuyuki, master painter and crafter, solved this problem. He created three Shoji Screens of the 72 Minor Seasons. These screens change their painted scen­ ery roughly every five days to depict the current season in Japan. Because of the highly prized nature and rarity of these magickal works of art, they command a high price on the open market, and at least two suspicious deaths have befallen owners who refused to part with their screens.

System

A Correspondence 2, Matter 3 Effect ma­ nipulates the screen to appear with the likeness of one microseason at a time. A Mind 1 Effect ensures that the changes only occur away from viewers, allowing it to appear as though it has been quickly changed out by an attendant. Effects are elegant.