Identifying arcana

Be generous with info about arcana. You want the players to know what's involved in unlocking them and using them. They need that info to make informed decisions. That's why arcana are handouts; you're meant to give them to the players.

When the PCs discover an arcanum, you might…

• … just give the player(s) the card and have them read it, front and back. Maybe the PC doesn't know all this info yet; work with the player to figure out how and when they figure it out.
• … offer riches at a price or tell them the requirements to learn more about the arcanum, which might involve taking a risk and Defying Danger, or talking to someone, or Seeking Insight. If they do so successfully, give them the card.
• … prompt them to Know Things about the arcanum: on a 10+, give them the card and have them read both sides; on a 7-9, have them read the front, and show them the back when they have some time to study it or learn more; on a 6-, either have them read the front and then have something bad happen, or hint at the arcanum's power and tell them how they could learn more.

A few major arcana lend themselves to a slow reveal. For example, you might tell the PC that rubbing this magic ring calls up a mist. But the first time someone dies in that fog, the ring asks, "May I take this one?" and you give the player the insert for the Ring of Daagon. Judge for yourself whether this would work for any given arcanum, and whether your player(s) would enjoy it.