Occupation: Unemployed, Former Mage & Corporate Thaumaturgist
Known Affiliations: Aztechnology (Former), Ordo Magica Obscura (Unconfirmed)
Marital Status: Married to William Gardner (since 2068)
Children: Evelyn “Evie” Gardner (b. 2070) and Christopher Gardner (b. 2072)
Current Residence: Lake Sammamish, Seattle Metroplex
Summary:
Maria Gardner was once a rising star in corporate thaumaturgy, working with Aztechnology’s research division in Seattle. Born in 2045, she was identified as magically gifted early on and trained in arcane diagnostics and astral healing. By the early 2060s, she had secured a stable corporate career, married John Gardner in 2066, and started a family.
But in 2069, everything fell apart. Something happened—an experiment gone wrong, a magical backlash, or something worse—and Maria lost her magic permanently. To this day, she won’t talk about it. Aztechnology declared her a burnout, and by 2070, she had been quietly pushed out of the corp, leaving behind her career and her identity as a mage.
At first, she tried to bury herself in family life, thinking Evie’s birth in 2070 and Chris in 2072 would give her purpose. But the truth is, she never adjusted to being mundane. Losing her connection to the astral left her feeling like a hollowed-out shell, and she never truly came to terms with her new reality.
By the late 2070s and early 2080s, she had spiraled into magical conspiracy theories, obscure research, and later, addiction. Over time, she became distant from John and her children, lost in a never-ending quest to restore her power—a quest that no burned-out mage in recorded history has ever succeeded in.
Recent Activity (2085-Present)
Ongoing Magical Research & Obsession
- Has spent the last 20+ years chasing theories on reversing burnout—with no success.
- Has contacted multiple shadow scholars, talismongers, and fringe magical groups, including:
- Ordo Magica Obscura (a rumored cult of awakened scholars).
- Arcane Restoration Initiative (a scam that took her for thousands of nuyen in 2093).
- Frequently buys relics, tomes, and magical artifacts on the black market—most turn out to be fakes or useless for her condition.
Mental Health & Addiction Issues
- Officially diagnosed with chronic depression & anxiety in 2087 (initial symptoms likely started in the 2070s).
- Alcohol dependency since 2088, with multiple flagged hospital visits for alcohol poisoning (latest in 2096).
- Prescribed heavy sedatives & mood stabilizers, but frequently mixes them with alcohol.
- Has refused conventional therapy multiple times—still believes she will "fix herself."
Simsense Dependency & Escape into VR
- Started simsense therapy in 2090—originally for emotional stabilization, but quickly became addicted.
- 2093-Present: Subscribes to high-end “Emotional Enrichment” simsense programs, which replicate feelings of astral perception and mana flow.
- Unpaid debts to simsense providers—some bordering on BTL-grade experiences.
- Lately, she spends more time in VR than in real life, running immersive simulations of what it felt like to be a mage.
Wizkid’s Take:
She’s lost in the past, chasing a miracle cure that doesn’t exist. If the tech existed to restore burned-out mages, Aztechnology would’ve commercialized it already. But if she ever did find something… who knows?
Related Link: “Echoes of Power: The Psychology of Burnout Mages”
Read More at The Arcane Ledger
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