So you just discovered magic was real

10 PRO-TIPS FOR THE NEWLY-AWOKEN

By Ajay Grier, for Buzzfeed's Supernatural Edition

1. Don't Tell Anyone

The Veil protects the mundane world from the supernatural world, and vice-versa. While it might be cool to show off any cool powers you have to your best friend, you're not only putting your lives in danger, but the lives of countless others. So don't be a dick, or else the Men in Black will track you down. And you don't want to deal with the Men in Black. Trust us.

2. Just Because They're Monsters Doesn't Mean They're Monsters

Yes, vampires and dragons and griffons and elves and gnomes and closet monsters and gargoyles and genies and ghouls and ghosts exist. Heck, you may find yourself among their number, depending on how exactly you were awoken. And that's the important part. Just because they're something you once dressed up as for Halloween doesn't mean they're inhuman monsters who live only to terrify humans. Even horrors, who live off of fear, have personal hobbies and passions. So treat them as you would a normal, mundane human, and you'll be fine.

3. Pick Up Some Magic

If you're a mundane human who just had the Veil parted before your eyes, you're probably just now realizing just how outclassed you are in the supernatural world. There's an old maxim among supes: don't bring a gun to a magic fight. However, magic takes years to learn, so we can't blame you for not wanting to dedicate all your free time for the foreseeable future to learning the arcane arts. Instead, head on down to your local magic shop and pick up some basic alchemy and talismans. They're typically not all that expensive, and they can help keep you safe. A simple shielding charm that will protect you from bullets or basic spells only costs a hundred dollars or so, and can save your life.

4. Sign Up For Supernatural News

The fact that you're able to see this article is a good start. We've got a whole section on this site warded by technomancy so that only supes can see it. There are some other mainstream sites out there who do the same, but you can't trust all of them, given how the Knights Templar, the Illuminati, the Freemasons, and others like to try and control the flow of media information. Instead, sign up for a number of supernatural forums and newsletters that you can find on the Arcane Web and get a better picture of what's really going on in the world.

5. Learn Some Supernatural Lingo

• Supe: short for supernatural, means anybody who's crossed the Veil and can see magic.
• Mundie: short for mundane, as in the non-magical world
• Realm: the various reflections of Earth. There are seven major realms, and numerous minor ones.
• Anima: Life force, it's where all magic comes from.
• Arcane Web: The supernatural internet.
• Artifice: the art of creating magical items
• Savants: mad scientists who can bend reality through the power of science.
• Created: the catch-all term for supes who were created through magic, such as golems, gargoyles, and artificial intelligence.
• Therians: also known as shifters, lycanthropes, or werebeasts. Humans with two spirits who can shapeshift into animals. Do not call them furries unless you really want to die.
• Horrors: creatures of shadow and fear, and one of the major supernatural races. If you ever thought you had a monster in your closet as a kid, you probably did, and they were a horror. So was that really creepy teacher you had that one year with the pale skin and the dark eyes who kept assigning you ridiculous amounts of homework. (Still haven't forgiven you for that, Mr. Blackwater.)
• Occ Intel: Occult Intelligence, the branch of the government which deals with supernatural threats. Most nations have one or more Occ Intel branches. Hopefully, you will never have to deal with them. Just know that they're out there and that they're usually trying to protect you.
• Undead: humans who have stopped being able to get anima naturally, but also haven't died yet. These include vampires, ghouls, ghosts, mummies, and revenants. Depending on how you awoke, you may now be finding yourself as an undead. If so, please make contact with your local Veil Treaty so they can help you establish a proper feeding pattern so you don't harm innocent humans.
• Bowie: A Bowie is someone you think is a supe, but is actually a mundie. Named after David Bowie.
• Skip: Modern slang for a weird supernatural item that may or may not try to kill you and/or destroy the world. Comes from some strange, mundie horror website which is actually quite popular with supes.

6. Pick Up Some Magical Geography

As a newly-awoken supe, you probably only know one realm: the Mortal Realm. But there are six other major reflections of Earth out there. These include:

Faerie: the realm of life and magic and home to the fey. Has the best Renaissance fairs anywhere.

Shadow: the realm of shadow and fear and home to the horrors. Hosts some killer Halloween parties. Just remember to party safe so the 'killer' part isn't literal.

Chaos: the elemental realm and the home of the jinn. Best shopping of all the realms, bar none.

The Underworld: Realm of the dead. Don't go here. The Reapers don't like visitors.

The Spirit World: realm of nature and spirits. Pristine, untouched beaches, and beautiful mountains. Get on good with a spirit and never worry about vacations again.

The Astral: realm of belief. This is a weird place and you probably won't go there. Even asking questions about the Astral can get you into trouble. If you do end up there, sorry to say, but you're SOL in our books.

Now you can begin charting your expeditions into the other realms! Just make certain to clear it with your local Veil Treaty before hand!

7. Visit Some Cool Magical Places in the Mortal Realm

You might want to zip off to visit Arcadia or the City of Brass right now, but there are still some cool places on Earth. Cairo has some great tours of the real pyramids. Take a trip into the Vaults of Paris with a necromancer and hear the skulls of ancient scholars tell stories of what life was like in the middle ages. Visit New Orleans' historic Ghede District, one of the largest supernatural neighbourhoods in the Americas. Or take a vacation to Sundance, Alberta, a beautiful resort community in western Canada with a booming supernatural scene.

8. Get Involved in Your Local Supernatural Community

While London, Paris, Cairo, Hong Kong, New York, Buenos Aries, and New Orleans are home to booming supernatural scenes, most cities have a decent-sized supernatural community. Learn about your local Veil community, and form connections with your fellow supes. You will often find that they're willing to offer support to the newly awakened, from training to social events to even employment opportunities. After all, a pub that caters to supes can't just hire any bartender, can they?

9. Definitely Avoid Hunters

With all these cool opportunities before you, there's gotta be drawbacks. The biggest one are hunters, insane humans who are absolutely convinced all supes are evil and need to be destroyed. That includes you. Yes, even if you have no powers, because you're tainted now in their eyes. They're one of the biggest reasons why you've gotta keep your new status as an awakened secret, because if they find our about you, they will kill you, no questions asked. Your local Veil Treaty will provide you with information about local hunter activities, and how best to escape their notice. Don't let these homicidal idiots ruin an otherwise good thing.

10. Don't Sell Anything You Cannot Afford To Lose

As a newly awakened, there will be some unscrupulous supes out there who see you as a schmuck they can exploit for profit. Don't be suckered in by anything that you can't pay for in cash. If anybody asks you to sell your soul, or your firstborn child, or a day of your life, they actually mean it, and the cost probably isn't worth it in the long run. Instead, find someone willing to give you the service for cash or credit. Much easier that way.