From nv91-asa@nada.kth.se Thu Dec 4 13:55:11 1995 Status: RO X-Status: Received: from mail6.netcom.com (root@mail6.netcom.com [192.100.81.142]) by mail.nada.kth.se (8.6.10/8.6.10) with ESMTP id NAA23673 for ; Mon, 4 Dec 1995 13:55:09 +0100 Received: by mail6.netcom.com (8.6.12/Netcom) id GAA19330; Sun, 3 Dec 1995 06:05:39 -0800 Received: from aimnet.com by mail6.netcom.com (8.6.12/Netcom) id GAA19317; Sun, 3 Dec 1995 06:05:36 -0800 Received: from [204.118.73.28] (dial-berk1-28.iway.aimnet.com [204.118.73.28]) by aimnet.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id GAA29960; Sun, 3 Dec 1995 06:07:05 -0800 Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Date: Sun, 3 Dec 1995 06:08:58 -0800 To: wod-l@netcom.com, , WRAITH-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM From: hyperion@aimnet.com (Thaddeus Howze) Subject: The Topology of the Tellurian #1 (revision #1) Cc: PWarlock@aimnet.com Sender: owner-wod-l@netcom.com Precedence: list Reply-To: wod-l@netcom.com THE TOPOLOGY OF THE TELLURIAN Copyright of Thaddeus Howze, December 1995 © All Rights Reserved This is the first revision of this posting based on the comments of other writers on this list. I began my writing of this document because I disliked and disagreed with the World of Darkness premise that Earth was the center of the Tellurian (Universe), and that its concerns were the concerns of an entire Universe. Granted, that to the humans that live in this isolated part of the Universe, it may seem to be all that there is. Instead, I have decided to take the World of Darkness idea and apply a wider and more systematic viewpoint. I did not place it from any internal view from the game, so that Storytellers could isolate parts of it and revise it to serve their needs. This is not meant to serve as the end all or be all of the Nature of the Tellurian, more of a road map for drivers interested in where it may take them. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE TOPOLOGY OF THE TELLURIAN revison 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE UNIVERSE aka, The All, The Multiverse, Omniverse, The Celestial Sphere, The Macrocosm. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is the sum total of all of creation. It is apparently limitless, and without definite form, yet filled with shapes and substances, rules and laws, ubiquitous and yet intangible, the Universe defies easy description; filled with wonderous phenomena, awesome and terrible, most beyond the reasoning capacities of mortal life forms. In this ultimate arena are all of the events, worlds and subworlds, realms and shadows, of the World of Darkness, said to take place. Are there multiple realities, side by side, just out of phase with each other, or are there multiple cosms linked together in a bubblelike matrix each phasing in and out of contact with the other? The True Nature of the Universe, defying such description, may, as so often described in Quatum Mechanics, take the form that was expected by the viewer. Meaning that the Universe itself may be the Ultimate Expression of Magick; a place that takes the form that is expected of it. THE GRAND DANCE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Grand Dance is a what the swirling of gravitic forces and congealing plasma combine together to call galaxies. In the Grand Dances throughout the Universe, there are billions of Living Realms and even tens of billions of Shadow or Shard Realms. The Grand Dance is the largest manifestation of magick in the Universe, save the creation of the Universe itself. Within the Dance are bound the Elemental Aspects of the Universe. These Elemental Aspects (of which there are only known to be nine) combine to form the Grand Dances (Galaxies, Living Realms and Shard Realms). NINE PRIMAL or ELEMENTAL ASPECTS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - These are the known Elemental Aspects that combine to form Living Realms. It is believed that there are others outside of the Living Realm of Gaia. These others are not known by the magi of the Realm of Gaia, in general, and may only be accessible by magi capable of Oracular level magic. Each of these Aspects has been considered a form of Meta-magic that combines known spheres of magic and are responsible for magics that are not related to any particular sphere (such as Death being related to Shadowland Arcanos magic and Transformation being related to Changeling-produced pathos magic). There are some primary correlations that each Aspect shares with a sphere of magic. As an example, Creation and Prime share correlations but Creation is made up of more than just the Sphere called Prime. The spheres of Magick are not able to completely explain the Aspects but magi continue to try and find correlations between the two. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BALANCE: The Maintainer of the Universe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Balance is the Aspect that deals with the continuation of the Universe in general. Balance ensures that all forces work within their associations and continue their function. Balance has no counterfource. This Aspect does whatever is necessary to ensure that Balance is maintained. However, Balance has been known to work slowly and over extended periods. The Balance Aspect is often associated primarily with Time and is believed to be the force that prevents temporal travel into the past to less than Oracular-level magi. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Balance Aspect is known to also be associated with all the Nine Spheres of Magick. The Balance Aspect is known to be associated with all forms of Static Magic (i.e. Hedge-Magick, Numina, Amulet, Celestial, and Alchemical Magic of the Mummy and The Power of True Faith) and Arcane Magic (i.e. Magic such as the Arcanos Magic of the Shadowlands and the Pathos Magic of the Changeling) as well. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CREATION/DESTRUCTION: Two Primary Forces of the Universe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CREATION The BeginningŠ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - is a primary Aspect. It is the aspect that initiates the binding of the other Aspect forces. It shares the stage as one of the most powerful aspects with Destruction. The two of them form a Duality of Power called Creation/Destruction. The Creation Aspect constantly creates new combinations of interactions, forces and energies. Anything new can be attributed to the Creation Aspect. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Creation is most associated the sphere of Magick known as Prime but it also has spheric associations with Life, Matter and Forces. DESTRUCTION The EndŠ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Destruction is a primary Aspect and is one of the most powerful forces in the Universe. Destruction is a constant of the Universe, taking place continuously at the atomic level and the galactic level. Destruction has nothing directly to do with Death except that both can deal with the Ending of a thing, person, place or entity. Death has more to do with end of Life. Destruction is part of the Creation Aspect and completes its primal balance. Destruction can be a means of Death but it is not a requirement. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Destruction Aspect can embody the spheres of Matter, Life, and Forces. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIFE, DEATH, and ESSENCE: The Circle of the Living and the Dead - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIFE The Greatest Secret - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Life is a member of the Circle of the Living and the Dead. Life contributes the force of Life energy to allow creatures to come into being that are born, reproduce, and die. The Life Aspect is twined tightly with Death and Essence that ensures that creatures continue this process. Life deals with the mindless reproduction of living matter, whether it be carbon based or silica based life forms. Life does not necessarily imply intelligence. Intelligence deals more with the Essence Aspect of a living creature. Non-sentient life possesses fragmentary or hive-like essence patterns. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Life Aspect deals primarily with the sphere of Life, but can also deal with Spirit, Time and Entropy. DEATH The Greatest Equalizer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Death deals with the termination of life forms and their inclusion into the lifecycle. A powerful Aspect, Death has seemingly acquired a streak of negativity associated with it. Death is neither good nor evil, it is simply necessary. Death is part of the cycle of Renewal, a necessary part of the Circle of the Living and the Dead. Gaia-dwelling humans have managed to tap into the magicks of Death in many ways. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Spheres of Magick most associated with Death are Entropy, Forces and Time. Necromancy is one of the ways Humanity has tapped the Primal energies of Death. The Arcanos of the Shadowlands is another. ESSENCE Mind and Soul - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The acknowledgement of the true mind also allows for the acknowledgement of the True Soul. Only intelligent beings may have souls. Souls that may tap into the True nature and Primal Energies of the Universe are called Awakened. Particular beings who can temporarily change the Nature of the Universe are often described as Magi. These Magi house within them fragments of the Greater Consciousness of the Universe and Gaian-dwelling Magi call it the Avatar. It is possible to utilize Magick and not be a Magi. There are subsidery magical energies that are not part of the Spheres of Magick that Magi are tough to learn but are parts of the Essence of the Universe and as such are available to any sentient creature with a desire to learn. With Gaian-dwelling humans, these abilities are often call Hedge-magick and Numina. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Spheres of Magick most associated with Essence are Mind, Spirit and sometimes Prime. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - QUASUM, DREAM and TRANSFORMATION The Understructure of the Universe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This Trine has been considered the understructure of the Universe. Shadow makes up the un-substance, the matter and energy of the Universe; Dream, the mind of the Creator, the place where all that is Real, is, and Transformation, the changing of the Universe from one thing to the next, the constant renewal, destruction and evolution of the Universe. These make up the underlying canvas the other Primal Entities paint upon. QUASUM Physical Matter & Radiant Energy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Literally, nothing is real, everything is Quasum. Quasum is the nature of matter and energy that says that they are ultimately interchangible and can neither truly be created or destroyed. All that is substance is really Quasum because of the infusion of Primal Essence delivered by the Creator(s). The Universe exists because the Creator(s) will it such. It has even been taught that the Matter and Energy are almost interchangeable under the right circumstances. Magi learning to manipute Matter and Energy soon discover their interchangable natures. The nature of Quasum also deals with Time. Time is used as a measurement to understand Matter and Energy at a Cosmic scale. Hence the relationship between Time and Space. Time is also the glue that holds the Universe together in an orderly, clockwork fashion. At least as far as Humanity is concerned... Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Magicks most associated with Quasum are, Forces, Matter and Time. THE DREAM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Universe is but the Dreams of the Creator(s). The Allspace is but a conceptual window into the Nature of the Universe. The Allspace is everywhere and some magi think every-when. The Allspace is accessing that Universal Consciousness to see and exist in all spaces and potentially all times. Think of it as a link to the Realm of Forms or a leap into the Quantum Field. Accessing this Universal Consciousness deals with the concept of Logos, where the idea of perfect objects and ideas are stored and accessed by mortal minds during the creation process. In this Logos realm, the perfect chair awaits mortal minds to try and conceive of this chair and make variations on it attempting to reach that ultimate perfection. Everything exists there in one form or another. The Allspace is the filter that is used to find that thing and bring the magi to it or it to the magi. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Magicks most associated with The Dream are Correspondence, Time, and Prime. TRANSFORMATION - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is the nature of the Universe to change and evolve. This is a natural tendency of the Universe. Nothing is constant, save that everything continues to change. Transformation is mostly concerned with Entropy and Randomness. It is one of the understructures of the Universe because what Matter makes real and what the Shadow reflects, what the Dreamer dreams and the Universal Consciousness knows, the Transformation Aspect changes and creates variation, to prevent stagnation and eventual death. Associated Magicks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Magicks most associated with The Dream are Entropy, Time, and Prime. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE CELESTIAL MOVEMENT The Beginning of a Living Realm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A Celestial Movement is the gathering of the Primal Forces that combine to form a Living Realm. This is believed to be the greatest expression of Magick capable of being performed by a mortal being. A mortal would not gather the primal elements, they would simply initiate the Celestial Movement that causes the creation of the Living Realm. A Living Realm is capable of supporting Life but not always necessarily Life as Humanity understand it. The Celestial Movement also creates and supports all Realms that are a part of it. Gaia is an example of a Living Realm. Gaia also supports a number of Shard Realm nearby and the other planets in the Solar System may also be Living Realms as well. It is said that Oracles imitate the incredibly complex natures of the Celestial Movement by the creation of their personal Shard Realms. There is only one other Magic as powerful as the Celestial Movment and it is called The Final Movment. The Final Movement is the catastrophic explosion of a star and the destruction of the Living Realm(s) near it. A LIVING REALM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A Living Realm is made up of Nine Primal Elements: Creation, Destruction, Balance, Life, Transformation, Death, Essence, Quasum, and The Dream. This symbiotic relationship creates a sphere of local influences that center on a particular Realm. In this case, the central Realm is Earth. These interactions are local meaning not spread across the entire universe (local implies a region of approximately 6 billion miles from the center of the local gravity well, the Sun). This is a significant amount of space to house nearby Shard, Reflected and Incomplete Realms. THE REFLECTED REALM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gaia has a single reflected Realm called the Umbra. This spiritual reflection houses the spiritual essence of Gaia and her inhabitants. The Umbra, has several Penumbral levels which are sometimes called the Reflected Realms, the Spirit Realms or The Astral Plane , since much of the landscape in this realm reflects that of Gaia. The Reflected Realms which include the Higher Umbra, a realm of reason visited primarily by Magi, the Living Umbra, most often visited by Shamen and Garou and the Shadowlands, the hidden realms of the Restless Dead are all the same place, a reflection of the Living Realm of Gaia. The Higher Umbra is an abstract realm of ideas that shares some of the Dream Essence. (This Higher Umbra is not to be confused with the Deep Umbra, which is the area beyond the orbit of the Moon.) The Living Umbra most accurately reflects the Living Realm of Gaia and this realm seems to possess many of the same characteristics of the Real World but filled with the essences of spirits and spirit beings of nature. The Shadowlands are also in the same Umbra but are only visible to beings who are seeking the restless dead. The magicks most associated with Shadow are Matter, Forces, and Entropy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE ASPECTS OF THE LIVING REALM OF EARTH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - These names are the vulgur argot used to describe the nature of the Elemental Energies the create the Living Realm of Gaia. Please understand that different groups will call these things different names and give different aspects to them. It is subject to interpretation. The Wyrm is the Balancing Aspect The Wyrm is also the Destruction Aspect The Weaver is the Creation Aspect The Wyld is the Transformation Aspect The Gaia Lifeforce is the Life Aspect The Umbra is the Shadow Aspect The Oblivion is the Death Aspect (found in the Shadowlands) The Allspace is the Dream Element The Phoenix* is the Essence Element (not covered in the World of Darkness text) SHADOW, PHANTOM or DREAM REALMS Shadow Realms are smaller incomplete realms that lack one or more of the Nine Primal Elements. These realms often have a single element that is the primary element of that realm and often seems to be the aspect that the realm revolves around. These are smaller realms that spin off from a Primal Realm (usually the Divine Realms or pocket realms of Oracles), or the Shard Realms (Arcadia, Gor, Wonderland, Atlantis, Mu) that splinter off from a Primal Realm due to natural, unnatural or catastrophic reasons. These realms are often known as Incomplete, Dream, or Phantom Realms. These realms usually lack some vital aspect that would make them appear normal to normal creatures of Living realms. The more primary aspects a realm has the more powerful the realm. Most Shard or Shadow realms only have one primary aspect. Examples: Mt Olympus: An incomplete realm whose primary primal aspect is Creation. An incomplete realm whose primary primal aspect is Life. An incomplete realm lacking the Primal Element of Death. An incomplete realm lacking the Primal Element of Time. An incomplete realm lacking the Primal Element of Entropy. A powerful Shard realm, the beings who reside here are immortal and have significant powers of creation and metamorphesis. The passage of Time is unknown for all who live here. Unfortunately for these inhabitants, they are also unable to change their natures despite the passing of the years. Arcadia: An incomplete realm whose primary primal aspect is Dream. An incomplete realm lacking the Primal Element of Time. To creatures of the Living Realm of Earth, the nature of Time is unable to be tracked or even be sure that it is flowing in this realm. Creatures living in this realm seem immortal by normal standards. Alice's Wonderland: An incomplete realm whose primary primal aspect is Life. An incomplete realm lacking the Primal Element of Randomness. The creatures of Wonderland lack the ability to change their natures. They are doomed to repeat their actions without variation. Only creatures from other realms may experience change in this realm. Shadowlands: An incomplete realm whose primary primal aspect is Oblivion. An incomplete realm whose primary primal aspect is Entropy. An incomplete realm lacking the Primal Element of Life. The creatures of the Shadowlands are dead and divorced from the living. They may mimic the living for a short time and beings who go to the shadowlands almost inevitable have to be dead. FINAL NOTES: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The reason that the nature of this study seems Garou-centric is that Magi and the Garou acknowledge that there are living forces that underly the Creation of the Realm of Earth. These are called by their Garou equivalents (Wyrm, Wyld, the Weaver and Gaia) because these are the most commonly known forms of these Entities. The could have just as easily been identified as Jormangandur, the Wyrm that Devours the World; Ydrassigal, the Tree of Life; The Fates and the Force of Mother Nature. I am not against using another format to describe these Aspects and as such they may not be immediately recognized. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There is no direct correspondence between the Aspects of a Living Realm and the Spheres of Magic. The Spheres of Magic are conventions by which magi perform their modifications of Reality. The Aspects are also conventions that Magi use to understand the Universe on a large scale. You might consider them a form of metamagic, that subsumes certains spheres within it. It is possible for an single Aspect to affect more than one sphere. As such there is no direct relationship between them. Any correlation between them is the same as comparing a hand grenade (Sphere) to an atomic bomb (Aspect). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Are these Aspects Universal? It is difficult to tell. Magi that have travelled to distant Living Realms rarely return. Some magi theorized that the Universe should have universal constants because the underlying theories of Magick seem to form the Grand Dance, indeed the Universe itself seem familiar to Magi from our realm. Creatures from other Realms may or may not work with or acknowledge different Aspects. The Nine Aspects mentioned here may not be all that is known. These are simply the most well established of the Aspects of our Living Realm. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -