Euthanatos Paradigm

By Anders Sandberg. Special thanks to Jason who independently wrote a frightfully similar version.

The Paradigm

The Wheel. The Great Wheel of Existence constantly turns, moved by Entropy. Everything that is will someday be no more. As one part rises, another part must sink. There can be no life without death. There can be no light without darkness. There can be no success without failure. Our duty is to make sure the Great Wheel turns smoothly, so that fresh possibilities are created as old are removed.

Magick

Turning the Wheel. We can turn the Wheel, making it move faster or slower, or even briefly stop it (but this entails a heavy price). Everything that exists is linked to change, and all change is ruled by the Wheel. By learning how different things change towards death and decay, we can learn how they interact with the Wheel, and thus control them.

Spheres

Correspondence: Crossroads. The Crossroads exist everywhere, providing everybody with infinite choices. Just as time is a cycle, space is also cyclic. Move far enough and you will return to your origin. By turning the Wheel of space, you can be anywhere.
Entropy: Change. Entropy and Change are one. All that happens is driven by the forces of chance and decay. The Wheel can move faster or slower, or nudge changes into new cycles.
Forces: Dissipation. Of all forms, the forces are the forms which change the most. They cause changes, and they dissipate quickly. By modulating how fast they dissipate and where, they can be controlled.
Life: Death. All living beings survive on the death of others, feeding on their possibilities or extracting them from the world around them. In turn they will also die and sustain other life.
Matter: Dust. Everything will sooner or later turn into dust. It is the most stable form of existence, and everything will sooner or later turn into it. By turning the Wheel, everything can be reduced to dust, or dust returned to its former glory.
Mind: Illusions. Every being surrounds itself with comfortable illusions. Without illusions the unawakened cannot live. Break down some of their illusions and they will die, go mad or awaken. It is also possible to weave new illusions or change the old illusions.
Prime: Possibility. Possibility is the building block of everything. Pure Possibility decays into reality. Reality decays into Possibility again when its time has passed. The dance between Possibility and Entropy creates the universe.
Spirit: The Other World. The Wheel encompasses all of reality, all possibilities, not just the one we inhabit. Outside our world exist countless other worlds and inhabited by their own denizens. Below our world, below the Wheel, the worlds of the dead exist, where the old possibilities turn into dust to one day reform into life again.
Time: The Cycle. As the Wheel turns, things come to pass. Old dies and is replaced by new. New grows old. Everything moves along its destined course governed by the turning of the Wheel. If the Wheel is turned faster, things will change faster. Stop the wheel, and activity will cease.

Arete

Disillusion. Every being is veiled in illusions, but some have broken down some of the lesser ones. They see more of the true world, and thus gain the power to understand the Wheel. Many proudly proclaim their enlightenment and refuse to search further, afraid of breaking their new illusions. The greatest illusion of all is that one have freed oneself from all illusions. This is also an illusion.

Quintessence

Possibilities. When Possibilities first appear, they are without form and meaning. Soon they will become real under the influence of Entropy, but a wise mage collects some possibilities to use in the Turning.

Paradox

Blockage. Sometimes mages attempting to turn the Wheel too violently fail, and cause it to become stuck or disturb its smooth turning. The Wheel will press against the blockage, and sooner or later it will give away, causing damage but restoring the balance.

Awakening

Death. Every being is awakened once in its lifetime - At the moment of dying. It will see beyond the illusions of its existence and pass into a new existence. Unfortunately almost all choose to forget that moment. It is our task to awaken those who are ready, and make others ready.

Mage-specific Backgrounds

Arcane: The Shroud of the Reaper. When somebody frees himself from the illusions of life, and yet returns to do his duty, many of the sleepers will fear him. They subconsciously fear the presence of Death, and will avoid anybody or anything connected to It, so much they will even suppress the memory of ever having been close to It.
Avatar: Kia. As the people are reincarnated, they purify their Kias and give them the chance to learn. A mage whose Kia has undergone many Good Deaths will have a most powerful inner core.
Destiny: Karma. The Wheel might slow down or even stop for a time, but it will continue its unending cycles. In the same way the Karma of past incarnations will influence the present; maybe not today, but surely someday.
Dream: Intuition. There is only one true source of wisdom, and that is your intuition. It is the whispered wisdom of your past incarnations, the amassed learning of your Kia.
Node: Garden. New possibilities enter the world constantly. In some places they grow stronger than others, forming gardens of possibilities and newness. A wise mage gathers the growth, and prunes the weeds of these gardens.