Sumter/Paradigm

Magick: Dancing in the Flow

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xxxxxThe Seers of Chronos are an ancient Tradition, a grouping of visionaries and prophets dedicated to one thing--to destroy the illusion that is the world and reach out to embrace the Truth that lies beyond it. Many people spend their lives Asleep, wrapped in the bliss of ignorance. For them, the world is as it appears to be, and they never think to see it any other way. But sometimes, they have a moment so profound, so fundamental, that it defies everything they have known to that point. That is when they experience true Ecstasy, which is something far beyond simple pleasure. The Seers of Chronos--or the Cult of Ecstasy, as they're also known--understand that Time, like all things, is an illusion. Its movement, from moment to moment, forms a Flow of unbroken events, chained together by that illusion. But through the power of Ecstasy, they liberate themselves from the Flow, and begin to see beyond the curtain of illusion. Every time a Seer uses his magick to break the barriers of the world, he creates a momentary miracle. Put enough together, and you can change the world forever.

Quintessence and Paradox: Ojas and Granthi

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xxxxxThe Flow pulses. It moves and is never still. Even when it seems quiescent, the Flow is in motion. The energy of that Flow pools and eddies, collecting within and making up all things of existence. This is Ojas, the radiant, vibrant energy of the cosmos. Mages who study Prime magick are able to collect, store, move, and transform this Ojas, using it for the working of miracles. Moments of Ecstasy can generate Ojas, the vital spark of creation. However, to tear through the curtain of illusion can have dire repercussions. This is Granthi, a metaphysical knot that can lash back against the Seer and chain him to the Flow. By tying him down and restricting him to the merely possible, Granthi can restrict a Seer in many ways. Injury, delusion, even demented manifestations are all possible. To avoid this, it is important to weave miracles in ways that move with the Flow rather than against it. Eventually, even the luckiest Seer will be lashed to the Flow and will pay the price for creating a Granthi.

Avatar: The Atman

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xxxxxLike all things in reality, mortality is an illusion. The Seers of Chronos understand this important principle. Our bodies may be temporary, but within, we carry the Atman, the eternal self. Like the universe, the Atman is a part of the Truth that lies beyond the illusion. All humans are possessed of this eternal self. For most, it remains Asleep and unaware, bound up in the motion of the Flow and incapable of perceiving the Truth. But when the Atman Awakens, all of that changes. The stronger the Atman, the more capable it is of storing and chanelling Ojas, the vital energy necessary for the working of miracles. Sumter's Avatar is the Primordial Expression of the North Star, the Pole Star that has guided wanderers and wayfarers since time out of mind. It is the deepest, utmost expression of Travel, of Motion, and guides him along his path through the illusion and towards Ascension. In his mind's eye, it appears as a radiant silver sphere, sometimes as distant as physical Polaris itself, sometimes intimately close, but always present. No matter how distant it may seem when it appears, its voice is a soft whisper in his ear. As his understanding of the Flow grows deeper and more intricate, the North Star reveals newer, more complex layers of the Flow, and helps Sumter grasp the subtleties of deeper and more profound mysteries and miracles.

The Spheres: Shastras

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xxxxxLike all mages, Sumter is familiar with the nine Shastras. Nine fundamental ways that a Seer can break past the barriers of illusion, and nine ways that miracles can be made to manifest within the Flow. Since the Truth is limitless and Time is eternal, there are an infinite number of ways that a Seer's will can be worked, and countless miracles that can be born.

Correspondence Distance is meaningless. Where things are has no bearing on the Truth of their position. When a Seer creates a Correspondence miracle, he draws this principle into the Flow and manifests it in many ways. He may view other places, move himself or others, open doors between locations, and prevent motion through space entirely. To manifest miracles of Correspondence, Sumter makes use of a yantra, a sacred diagram, to focus his will. Entropy Nothing is random. Everything happens for a reason. This is the basis of karma--the delicate balance of virtue and wickedness that determines the ultimate worth of a person. Through the miracles of Entropy, chance disappears. Fortunes may be turned, chaos may become order, and the eternal can be made nonexistent. If Sumter ever studies the miracles of Entropy, he will turn to ash to manfest them. Any ash will do, even one tapped from the end of his cigar. But the best ashes come from bhasma, ashes prepared from ritual sacrifices of wood and ghee. Forces Energy is more than photons, electrons, or gravitons. Energy is not insensate. It is alive and vibrant. It is song and fury, it is heat and motion, it is attraction and illumination. Sumter has learned to apply his will to manifesting miracles of Forces, using his magick to lend speed to his bike, keep himself warm when he has to sleep outside, and many others. To focus on these miracles, he uses a pinpoint of flame to help him see beyond the illusion of energy and sieze its Truth. His lucky Zippo that he's carried since his days in the Army holds particular sentimental value for him.

Life The body is the instrument upon which the universe plays its music. It is the vehicle through which we experience Ecstasy. Life itself is a miracle unlike any other. Through the power of these miracles, living organisms may be healed or harmed. They can be strengthened, or changed. Sumter has become highly skilled in the miracles of Life. To focus his will, he utilizes touch and physical contact. Of particular use is his knowledge of reiki techniques, which serves to direct his will and manifest his miracles with pinpoint precision. At his level of understanding, he can transform simplistic organisms to suit his whims. Even his own body is an intimately familiar miracle, one whose form and substance he can mold to his liking. He has begun to extend his knowledge to more complex creatures as well, lending them strength or healing their hurts. Matter Material things are illusion, just like everything else within the Flow. When one understands this, it becomes a simple matter to change them. Through the miracles of Matter, objects may be shaped, transformed, or even brought into being with a burst of Ojas. To focus these miracles, Sumter utilizes water as a base element for transformation and clarity. The best water comes from the hands of a Hindu archaka, carrying the blessings of the universe to draw back the curtain of illusion. Mind Through consciousness, we attain awareness. Through awareness, we attain enlightenment. These are the fundamentals that are contained within the miracles of the Mind. When shackled to biological processes, the Mind is limited. But freed through the use of miracles, its power becomes limitless. Emotion, memory, communication, even projection of the astral self become possible through this magick. To focus upon the miracles of the Mind, Sumter chants meditative mantras. His favorite is the Buddhist Heart Sutra, which he's learned to sing by rote, and provides the surest connection to Mind Truth.

Prime The Prime Sphere deals with cosmic energy itself--Ojas. Called Quintessence by the Council of Nine, it is the foundation of all things within the Flow of the universe. Though any mage can utilize the Ojas he carries within his Avatar, the miracles of Prime enable him to perform even more dramatic feats. He may expand his Avatar's capacity to contain Ojas, fashion it into a crude but effective weapon, or draw Ojas into himself. With greater knowledge, a Seer may consecrate Talismans, creating objects of wonder that can work miracles on their own. To bring forth miracles of Prime, Sumter utilizes a series of yoga asanas. Each carefully controlled posture helps him to align the chakras in his body, so that he can monitor and control the flow of Ojas through his metaphysical self. Spirit Beyond the barriers of belief, there are countless other worlds, all of them inhabited by countless entities. Some are bright and benevolent. Others are dark and corrupt. Call them angels or devils, devas or asuras. Call them gods. Call them aliens. Whatever they are, they are not and have never been human. The miracles of Spirit empower a Seer to deal with these entities, as well as to pass beyond the Gauntlet that divides our world from theirs. He may communicate with them, command them, even compel them to inhabit an object in the form of a fetish. Sumter has begun to learn the miracles of Spirit, using incense to build the bridge between the material and ephemeral worlds. His personal Ganesha idol, a gift from his mentor Janice, lends particular potency to his Spirit workings. Time The greatest illusion of all is the one that time must pass. That it is limited. The Truth is simpler and more complex all at once. Each moment has an existence of its own. Past and future are one and same. The Eternal Now is everlasting and infinite. When one understands the true nature of Time, then they may learn to work their will upon all other aspects of the universe. In the Council of Nine, the Seers of Chronos have always been recognized as the undisputed masters of Time, and Sumter is no exception. It is the Sphere he has studied most closely. With his knowledge of these miracles, he can see past and future as clearly as he sees the present. He can cause time to flow faster or slow to a crawl. He can even move himself along its path, though his range is limited to seconds at most. As his knowledge of Time grows, he will learn to step outside the passage of time entirely, and increase the length of time he may travel. To focus upon Time, he turns to the tools every Seer understands--Ecstasy. Whether speeding on his bike at a hundred miles an hour, dancing to exhaustion at a rave, or making love to a beautiful woman, this Ecstatic rush is all Sumter needs to make a miracle of Time. His favorite just so happens to be marijuana. It's amazing how different the passage of Time feels when you're stoned.