Prophetic Reflections (book): Difference between revisions
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==Prophetic Reflections == |
==Prophetic Reflections == |
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'' |
''By Fateweaver Diansine Marindra''<br> |
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''[[Saethren]] Camersaen of [[Taisgath]] ''<br> |
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''Celestial Compact ''<br> |
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'''Commissioned by Courtier [[Aliyrek]] Emiidaku of [[Shard]] '''<br> |
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Publisher's Note: at the author's request, this book is pub- |
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lished with the permission of the Moon Mage Guild and its |
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representatives. However, the Guild holds no responsibility |
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for any inaccuracies or oversights on the author's part. |
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First Edition, 371 |
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===Prophetic Reflections=== |
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===Introduction:=== |
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The Artifacts and Events from the Mirror Wraith Prophecy |
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In Relation to the Web of Fate and Plane of Probability |
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The practice of divination is old. Very old. Long have our |
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ancestors sought tools with which to reveal the patterns of fate. |
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Many methods have evolved since the beginning of history, each |
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according to the predilection of those attempting to see what |
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others could not. Wandering hunter-gatherers saw the future in |
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the chance tumbling of handcarved bones, while scholars drafted |
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charts to track the progress of stars across the sky. These |
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things were not for my people, gamblers, singers, and gypsies that |
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we were. |
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In every throw of the dice or deal of the deck, the path of your |
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Chapter One - Star Stones and Inscriptions <br> |
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fate branches many times. The dice tumble; the cards are shuffled |
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Chapter Two - The Sphere and Other Sundries <br> |
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and cut. This is fate. We do not control the dice or impose our |
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Chapter Three - Threading Time and Space <br> |
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will over the cards. We merely travel along for the ride and read |
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Chapter Four - Presaging Dilemmas and Dedication <br> |
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the pips as they lie. |
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"The signs can no longer be ignored: a nexus approaches. It |
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all started with a visitation from a mirror wraith. In re- |
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turn for a few memories to stave off the chill of the void, |
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it offered a gift..." -- [[Amiss]] DeRhi, Dark Weavings |
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Though the "gift" or prophecy of the mirror wraith has been |
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discussed countless times, especially during the decade fol- |
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lowing -- up until the Magus [[Tezirah]] Eilsina's brief release |
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from the plane of probability -- few have spoken or thought |
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on the connection of all this to the web of fate. |
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Fewer still would claim that the Prophecy began long before |
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the mirror wraith visited Tamsine's shrine in Zoluren on the |
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32nd day of Akroeg, 351 (hereafter, for brevity - 351:31:1). |
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It is this connection, the nexus that affects us as Moon Magi |
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years after, which this text is to attempt to explain. |
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In all fairness to those involved - I cannot claim to be an |
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expert on the happenings. In truth, having joined the Guild |
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under Master [[Lomtaun]] Nedorath on Taisgath in the year 358, |
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I gathered notes on much of the earlier events secondhand. |
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My memory, also, I should note, is poor at best. (My notes, |
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however, are precise, as the web weaves it to be.) |
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To fully understand the Prophecy as it relates to the web of |
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fate, I feel it is necessary to look to the beginning, that |
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of the origins of celestial magi, and the first inklings of |
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our thoughts on the web. |
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===Chapter One - Star Stones and Inscriptions === |
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Around 356:100:3 within [[Ker'Leor]], the Therengian obelisk was |
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uncovered by a tremor not far north of Laakmir. Later, when |
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trade with Qi'Reshalia was resumed, another was seen by stu- |
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dents on Taisgath. And a third, in Zoluren, was rediscovered |
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in Tezirah's mansion beneath the observatory on 361:303:8. |
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Note, if the reader would: "rediscovered". This will become |
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clear in time. |
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These ancient artifacts, I've devoted my life to understand- |
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ing. As my primary study since joining the Guild, I like to |
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think I have gathered some information on them over the past |
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decade. |
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To describe them properly: at some point in time, each was |
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a translucent spire of forty-five hands in height (fifteen |
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Human feet or so), excessively inscribed with runes and lan- |
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guages, and inset with a single gem on each side. Those gems |
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were, and are: a red ruby, a crystal blue sapphire, a golden |
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topaz, and an iridescent pearl. Each obelisk radiated celes- |
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tial magic so strongly that even untrained senses could feel |
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its strength. |
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It is this |
It is in this way that those who follow Fortune's Path came to |
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devise their preferred method of divining. From our tradition of |
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3500 years past to the obelisks to learn of the plane of |
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game arose the Tokka deck. It is hard to say precisely when the |
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probability, the web of fate and its weavings, and our arts. |
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practice of Tokka originated, but the idea of laying illustrated |
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But this seems a shaky claim. To explain: given that the ob- |
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cards in patterns was a natural evolution of our way of life. |
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elisks are intimately intertwined with our moons and given |
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that there are four gems, not three, then necessarily (as |
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will be better shown later) [[Grazhir]] was around during their |
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origins. Also, since they bear a golden topaz rather than |
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a black stone like an onyx, [[Katamba]]'s radiance was the same. |
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This leads back to the time when clans were prevalent, and |
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history, sadly, was oral rather than written for the most |
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part. Those of the Guild of Warrior Magi will be interested |
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to note that the origins of their manipulations are also |
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found around this era. |
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Celestial events, however, guided the clan leaders then just |
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as they do now. [[Thee Mottl'd Tyxte (book)|Thee Mottl'd Tyxte)]] was written at this time, |
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if Heritage Keeper [[Phildonius]] is correct in saying that Kat- |
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amba was recently blackened in his discussion of the contro- |
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versial tome. It can be assumed, then, that celestial magi |
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were already in some form plying their trade of seeing the |
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web's weavings. |
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It is unsurprising, then, that Tokka has played an important role |
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Whatever may be argued, what is known currently is that the |
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in our history. Biographies of talented Gypsies reference their |
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obelisks are tied not only to our moons but also in some way |
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adroit understanding of Tokka and few tales touch on the Unbound |
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to the plane of probability and to the web of fate. Each |
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without mentioning a deck in some way. Perhaps what is sur- |
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gives, when studied, an inscription of the past, present, or |
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prising, however, is the dearth of material discussing their use. |
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future in some form, as seen by students first with the The- |
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Whether this arises from our habits or some other, more nefarious, |
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rengian obelisk, which, when activated on about 356:109:3, |
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cause is difficult to say, but nevertheless it is something that |
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sent into the sky one beam for each moon, including Grazhir. |
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warrants correction. |
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As Grazhir no longer crosses our skies, this was a problem, |
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which caused the obelisk to melt after a dramatic outburst |
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of celestial energy (killing many gathered around it), and |
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seemingly altered our perceptions of time itself, which the |
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obelisk's mysterious passages alluded to beforehand. |
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Similar circumstances surround the Taisgath obelisk during |
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the Prophecy, as its scribings all related to the unfolding |
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events until the closing of the vortex, at which time they |
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changed to tell of enchanting that would soon thereafter |
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pass to students). |
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It is said, also, by [[Lorethew]] [[Arkelli]] Feirgetha, in "[[A Study of The Progeny of Tezirah (book)|A Study of The Progeny of Tezirah]]," that around 718 BL, "unsubstan- |
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tiated reports as well as the sect's own private records |
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state that a surprising amount of this knowledge came dir- |
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ectly from a translucent obelisk artifact found in the area |
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of the present-day Crossing," which leads me to believe that |
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Lady Tezirah, as well as the future Progeny, came to under- |
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stand more of celestial arts from the Zoluren obelisk, which |
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resides currently within her one-time mansion. Thus the |
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claim, also, that the first celestial magi did the same. |
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Interestingly enough, given that the obelisks are linked with |
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the moons, having one gem for each, it would stand to reason |
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that there is, in fact, a fourth obelisk somewhere, assuming |
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it has not already been destroyed. From the "[[History of Mer'Kresh]]" by [[Lindryl]] Jinsaith on the ruined city found on |
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[[M'Riss]]: |
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"Other stories claimed the Ancient Ones were mages who dared |
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compare themselves to the gods and paid for their arrogance. |
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Still more stories suggest this race of mages built the Star |
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Stones, and that those megaliths are actually a portal to |
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another world through which those mages disappeared. What- |
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ever the truth, the city now lies in ruins, destroyed by |
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time and volcanic activity." |
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The mention of Star Stones bears future investigation, but |
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what is known is that at least two of the obelisks, by their |
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link to the plane of probability, were portals to that plane, |
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as with Tezirah's supposed execution on the Zoluren obelisk, |
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and her subsequent return during the Prophecy at the one on |
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Taisgath. |
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So it is that this document was begun. |
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===Chapter Two - The Sphere and Other Sundries === |
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Her return, or activation of the portal-creating properties |
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of the obelisks, is far from simple. In truth, it required |
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the use of a sphere in both historically documented openings. |
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The Sphere, or Deceiver Device, began five hundred years |
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prior to her banishment, or about 1200 BL according to Magus |
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[[Xathvier]] Calvaradde in his "[[Enchanting Researches, Volume 1]]". |
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"It was composed of three pieces: two semispheres (one brass, |
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one obsidian), and a crystalline key (which had, if I recall |
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correctly from my hurried notes in that time) four gems, one |
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on each side like the obelisks)." |
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Each part of the Sphere, again according to Enchanter Xath- |
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vier (as was likely discerned by the Guild during its brief |
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study), was composed of "no less than three Grand Squares on |
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each of its three components." This is no small task, and |
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understandably, took five hundred years to complete. Likely |
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it was the Magus Tezirah, herself a skilled Enchantress, who |
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finished the Sphere before Imperial Law sought her out. |
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It is the same Sphere that opened the portal to the plane of |
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probability, likely releasing a shadowmaster and allowing it |
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to escape from Tezirah's mansion in 703 BL, where modern-day |
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day River Crossing is located (assuming Tezirah resides on |
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the plane of probability, and that the form seen was not |
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simply some illusionary facsimile). This shadowmaster is an |
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intelligent denizen of the plane of probability; their kind |
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seemingly wish to take over or exist on the plane of abiding |
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as well. |
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===The Cards=== |
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Centuries passed, and what I know of the Sphere's whereabouts |
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during those times is sketchy at best. However, as the web |
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wove it to be, in 230 BL River Crossing began to be built, |
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probably over the remains of whatever city was there before. |
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In time, Zoluren Observatory was finished, and beneath it, |
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around 290 AV, Tezirah's mansion was rediscovered. |
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Excavators, students, researchers, and notable persons were |
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gathered in the once-magnificent mansion, including Guildmas- |
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ter Prime [[Taramaine]] Ennis-[[Braun]]; Lady [[Demosel]] Dez'Madielle, |
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the Weaver of Fate; our current Guildmaster of Ilithi, Magus |
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[[Mortom]] Saist; Lady [[Erzebet]] [[Crowther]]; and [[Grell]] Pel'cora, a |
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mercenary hired by the Guild. They found the Sphere and the |
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obelisk. As the web wove it, they assembled the device, re- |
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leasing two shadowmasters, who killed many until Grandmaster |
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Taramaine, Lady Erzebet, and Guildmaster Mortom harnessed |
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sorcerous arts to stop them as they felt it necessary. The |
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manipulations reacted violently with the obelisk's celestial |
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energies; it shattered, embedding a piece of itself within |
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Mister Grell. The [[Y'shai]] [[Shanrolias]], also, was the first |
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Y'shai to fall in the line of duty, his spirit lost, from |
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the manipulations that created Y'shai. (Note - the Y'shai |
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process was first discerned from "[[Arte of the Black Cockatrice]],' if the reader is interested in finding more on |
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Y'shai.) |
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After this, the Guild disassembled the Sphere, placing one |
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semisphere in southwestern Therengia (which was accessed by |
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the trapezoid), the other into an enchanted music box (given |
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to Lady [[Penelope]]), and the final piece -- the crystalline key |
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-- was held by Guildmaster Mortom after some years when he |
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put himself (likely with Guildmistress [[Gylwyn]]'s assistance) |
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into a death-like stasis, and was interned within a sarcoph- |
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agus within the Great Tower of Shard. |
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Unfortunately, I never quite understood this part, but either |
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(as it was related to me) the trapezoid statuette contained |
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the semisphere and was originally found within Therengia, or |
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it accessed a statue in Therengia to reveal the semisphere. |
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The trapezoid itself was the same device used by [[Andraethu]], |
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Lady Demosel's brother, to steal souls, most often those of |
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children. (Heritage Monograph's [[Profiles in Magic]] series |
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delves deeply into the origins of these two, so I will not |
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dwell on them here.) From what I could gather at the time, |
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the trapezoid held a consciousness of some sort, which would |
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twist the holder's mind and perceptions, causing them to see |
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and hear illusions and insecurities in an effort to have the |
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holder drain the souls of any nearby. Additionally, when not |
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being used, it would drain the said possessor's spirit and |
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slowly scorch their hands with its heat, which could only be |
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healed when it had "feasted," in a sense. |
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In any case, similar to this was the music box which held the |
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second semisphere, given to Lady Penelope, whose state of un- |
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life allowed her to ignore its effects. As I understand it, |
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the music box would drive the holder insane with the sounds |
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of the spirits of children. Again, the Heritage Monograph |
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series details what little is known of Lady Penelope's life |
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and her many contributions to the Guild, if the reader is |
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interested. |
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If there is one detail on the composition of a Tokka deck that is |
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Even so, how the Guild came into possession of or created the |
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common knowledge, it is this: no two decks are the same. How, |
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trapezoid and music box remains a mystery. The use of the |
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then, does one even begin to go about categorizing their makeup? |
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two to protect the semispheres seemed safe enough, but as the |
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Well, the truth is that most decks actually have much in common, |
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web wove it, things came out otherwise. |
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even if the exact selection of cards is varied. To begin with, |
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all Tokka cards may be categorized into three basic types: |
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In time, the Council recovered one semisphere, taken from |
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Portents, Avatars, and Taisialaen. |
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Andraethu for further study, while the other was recovered |
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from [[Chyolvea Tayeu'a]] and the [[Mountain Elves]] by [[Lasarhhtha]] |
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Oshu'ehhrsk, a S'Kra Mur Bone Dancer, necromancer and Dragon |
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Priest descendant with the help of some students of our and |
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other Guilds. Lasarhhtha, like many others, had spoken with |
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the mirror wraith, who convinced him that the Sphere was the |
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key to letting his ancestors rest. |
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Guildmaster Mortom's key saw brief travel through the prov- |
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inces when he awoke to Lasarhhtha's attempt to possess it, |
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around the turn of the year in early 362. Some students did |
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their best to keep it from the Bone Dancer, but failed since |
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the semisphere in his possession was seemingly drawn to the |
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key. Ultimately, Lasarhhtha gained both key and semisphere, |
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while the Guildmaster attempted to regain his bearings after |
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several decades of stasis. |
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Meanwhile, Lady Demosel visited Zoluren Observatory briefly |
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where she was attacked by shadows using manipulation which |
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she was presumably able to sense with the help of a mirror |
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wraith talon. After a struggle, the shadows succeeded in |
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hitting her, whereupon she seemed, strangely, to grow trans- |
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lucent. Her talon no longer functioning properly, she was |
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drawn into the shadows and disappeared into -- I'd theorize |
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-- the plane of probability. |
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Thereafter, through an unknown method that apparently |
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utilized the Tears of [[Grazhir]] as focal points (as I under- |
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stand them) rather than moonbeams -- Lasarhhtha sent [[Lechsu]], |
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another necromancer, to recover the semisphere from the Coun- |
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cil during a meeting. Magus [[Khaman]] Vairson, student-elect to |
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the Council, Grandmaster Taramaine, and Lady [[Annisean]] Crow- |
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ther (Lady Erzebet's daughter, then recently appointed to |
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the Council in her place), survived his attack, although the |
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others of the Council fell (save, also, the Prophet Dothrein |
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-- the representative of the G'nar Peth who rarely showed up |
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at meetings), seven traveling the Starry Road, while three |
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remain in sleep within the Imperial Stargazer's Medical Pav- |
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ilion in Throne City at this writing, may they soon recover. |
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The sects, also, some having lost faith in the Council and |
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others as a return to traditional teachings, began to open |
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their doors to students in these times. |
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With all three pieces, Lasarhhtha attempted to assemble the |
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device at his ancestral manor south of Leth Deriel. Each |
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time, as with those documented in the past, the device would |
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release one or more shadowmasters as well as disrupt the web |
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of fate. Students across the lands sensed these disturbances |
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through fate and probability, until the Sphere was recovered |
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from Lasarhhtha, and returned to the Council. |
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On 362:236:6 the Guildmaster Prime gathered all the students |
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interested and spoke with them on Taisgath. Having been mis- |
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led by the mirror wraith, like Lasarhhtha, he activated the |
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Sphere, trying to sever the connection between the plane of |
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abiding and the plane of probability, but instead opened a |
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vortex through which the Magus Tezirah returned. With the |
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assistance of Lady Demosel, who returned through the same |
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vortex, Tezirah was pushed back into the drab, silent land- |
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scape of the plane of probability, leaving the Guild to re- |
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cover, and to note a changed obelisk. |
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When most people think of Tokka cards, they likely envision |
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===Chapter Three - Threading Time and Space === |
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Portents. These depict an item or a setting, like The Keep, The |
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Web of Fate, or The Silver Scroll. A Portent is a place or |
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The fluctuations from those times persist, as was notable by |
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situation, or something you must handle. In the grand scheme of |
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the feeling of a ripple through fate and probability shortly |
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fate, Portents do not control where you will go, but they control |
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after the vortex closed. What the web weaves seems unclear, |
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where you will start -- what you have to work with, if you will. |
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though there have been stirrings over the years. |
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Powerful Portents suggest predictions of great impact. |
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As for the web of fate and plane of probability, themselves, |
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Avatars do not detail places, instead presenting an image repre- |
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much can be drawn to aid understanding from the happenings of |
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senting a person. The details of the portrait are frequently |
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the Prophecy. Having briefly looked into the vortex, the |
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trivial, but the card will typically portray a particular race or |
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plane is distinctly different from, though similar to, the |
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a profession. Some Avatars you might find are The Dwarf, The |
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plane of abiding -- a pale sunset with little to distinguish |
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Minstrel, or The Grinning Rogue. These cards often illuminate |
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above the horizon from below it, strange winds and clouds -- |
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the role of the individual in a prediction. It is important to |
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the plane of probability is a seemingly colorless and silent |
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remember that while we cannot often control our fate, we may |
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landscape. |
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sometimes determine when we meet it. |
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Through the use of her aforementioned mirror wraith talon, a |
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Lastly, Taisiala is a word that means "Sky Jewel" in Gamgweth. |
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strange magical artifact, the Lady Demosel is able to travel |
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Taisialaen are painted with images of constellations, occasion- |
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the plane (although how is speculation on my part). I would |
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ally connected with lines to facilitate audience appreciation. |
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theorize that, since mirror wraiths seem to be reflections |
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The stars are a familiar sight to most students of divination, so |
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it should come as little surprise that Taisialaen are commonly |
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talon acts as a link, much like moonbeams, to its landscape. |
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interpreted to represent the role of fate itself. Taisialaen |
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have the potential to sway the very outcome of your prediction |
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Moonbeams and Moon Gates, for that matter, as well as other |
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itself, hinting at dire consequences or providing insight into |
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arts of our Guild, are known to be intimately linked to the |
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the nature of your reading. |
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plane of probability. Though rather than traveling into the |
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plane, itself, we simply travel across it, or use it to link |
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one point in space with another. While the Turtle, with the |
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===The Spread=== |
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shards of Grazhir (like the smaller shards of Grazhir which |
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fell inactive after the Comet [[Zelkaes]] left Elanthia's prox- |
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imity in the year 361), seem to use other shards of Grazhir |
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as links, like moonbeams. |
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Another notable art was Lasarhhtha's, which created a small |
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mote of light near Chyolvea Tayeu'a, marking the spot for him |
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to (presumably) set a moonbeam by in the coming andaen, and |
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then return to the area. A more permanent sort of link to |
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the plane of probability, this art would be a boon for any |
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Magus that wishes to travel long distances. |
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What is known is that the plane of probability is a place, |
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separate and distinct from the plane of abiding, which we, |
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as Moon Magi, tap into to sense visions, or weave the web of |
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fate. Conversely, the web of fate seems not so much a plane |
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but rather a linking of events across time. |
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On a smaller scale, each person could be seen to have a web |
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surrounding his life and his self, which is what we affect by |
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weaving the future, while on a larger scale, each person is |
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simply a strand on the web as it relates to all things across |
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time -- each meeting of two people being an intertwining or |
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crossing of strands, while many strands meeting could form a |
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nexus, as per Lady Amiss' treatise. |
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Simply put - the plane of probability is more concerned with |
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space (and spatial theories), while the web, itself, is more |
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concerned with time and its passing. |
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Drawing on the group prediction attempts, first observed by |
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Councilman [[Zeltir]] Cra'Feldor around 361:144:4, several magi |
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can gather together to open a larger hole to the plane of |
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probability, and through that, tap into the web of fate to |
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see more of the future. While doing so, the group felt a |
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chill breeze and noted a mist forming upon the walls before |
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a distant cry was heard. After a roar which grew louder as |
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the floor shook, a cloaked figure appeared, and the group |
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seemed to snap back to reality, so to speak, learning of the |
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future, but they were unable to interpret the knowledge. |
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Unfortunately, each such attempt resulted eventually in the |
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release of a shadowmaster, or as with the one on Taisgath, a |
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disturbing vision. And so this line of research was put |
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aside at the request of the Council until the future. |
|||
Even so, this allows certain connections to be drawn about |
|||
the plane of probability, the plane of abiding, the web of |
|||
fate, and the structure of reality, I feel. One theory, to |
|||
which I hold, is that the plane of abiding is surrounded by |
|||
the void, which, in turn, is surrounded by the outer-lying |
|||
plane of probability, while the web of fate, literally like |
|||
the strands of a spider's web, runs through all of them, and |
|||
across time. |
|||
To simplify that: if the reader would picture Elanthia with |
|||
the moons floating around it, Elanthia is like the plane of |
|||
abiding, and the space between Elanthia and the moons is akin |
|||
to the void. The moons themselves and their orbital paths |
|||
would symbolize the plane of probability. If one connected |
|||
the moons, space, and Elanthia by lines in this analogy, the |
|||
lines would be that instant of time on the web of fate. |
|||
In this system of understanding, we gain our visions through |
|||
the web of fate as it relates to future time, being sensitive |
|||
to it, while our weavings, conversely, tap into the plane of |
|||
probability to access the web of fate, where, presumably it |
|||
would be simpler to sense. |
|||
Given that, the obelisks and Tears of Grazhir are permanent |
|||
links from the plane of abiding to the plane of probability, |
|||
the obelisks tapping into the web of fate and relating it |
|||
through their inscriptions (though I cannot speculate as to |
|||
how or why), and the Tears of Grazhir existing as beacons to |
|||
travel by means of the plane of probability, either through |
|||
the turtles or perhaps other ways as well. |
|||
Interestingly enough, however, the piece of the Zoluren obel- |
|||
isk lodged in Grell Pel'cora's chest glowed blue and dragged |
|||
him around the provinces around 360 AV. Strangely, the obel- |
|||
isks "summoned" him, or so he later claimed, ending (on the |
|||
last recorded Locate) in the sewers near Tezirah's mansion, |
|||
even before it was revealed to students by Lasarhhtha. What |
|||
this means in relation to the obelisks and their properties, |
|||
I can only theorize. |
|||
All that said, this does not address whether all things are |
|||
woven by the web of fate (fatalism), or whether our actions |
|||
are our own (free will). That issue alone would take volumes |
|||
to discuss properly, yet the structure (and previous corres- |
|||
ponding theory) can be useful in their explanation, if the |
|||
reader wishes. |
|||
Rarely do cards convey meaningful insight alone. One may draw a |
|||
===Chapter Four - Presaging Dilemmas and Dedications === |
|||
powerful Portent from the deck, say, the Jewel of Night. Fre- |
|||
quently an ominous sign, yet sometimes associated with wealth, the |
|||
Ultimately, all debates aside, I trust the reader has found |
|||
card cannot be put into perspective unless we have a frame of |
|||
some information of use within this text. If any inconsis- |
|||
reference. In order to position the cards in a meaningful fash- |
|||
tency, problems, or lack of information is noted, contacting |
|||
ion, we lay them into what is commonly referred to as a Spread. |
|||
me with the Thoughtcast manipulation would be ideal, because |
|||
The Spread has long been a subject of experimentation for seers of |
|||
I hope to revise this work over the years in future editions. |
|||
all ilks, but over the years it has become clear that all Spreads |
|||
require a minimum number of cards to consistently convey output of |
|||
In fairness to all involved, if any misinterpretation, con- |
|||
value. Over time, these required positions came to be known as |
|||
demnation, or conjecture is noted, I urge the reader to in- |
|||
The Thread, The Path, and The Terminus. |
|||
quire further from other sources on these issues. It is not |
|||
my goal to posit moral or ethical thoughts within this text, |
|||
The Thread is always dealt first of the three, as it governs the |
|||
nor to validate any thoughts of that sort in relation to any |
|||
here and now. As our observations of the heavens give us insight |
|||
events. Theories, like all things, are dynamic and change |
|||
into the strands of fate being woven around us, so does this |
|||
in time as the web weaves them. I am, however, always open |
|||
knowledge flow into the dealing of The Thread. The insight we |
|||
for a debate. |
|||
receive is born of the strength of this card. Because of their |
|||
nature and immediacy, Portents signify the strongest influence |
|||
Credit and thanks for making this text possible go to: the |
|||
when laid into this position. |
|||
authors mentioned, for their sharing of information; to those |
|||
involved in the events of the Prophecy, especially discus- |
|||
Next, we play The Path. Simply put, The Path tells us how we get |
|||
sions and assistance in filling in the pieces from before my |
|||
where we're going. It doesn't tell us what we'll find when we |
|||
time; to Lady Psychi Starwoven, whose thoughts and debates |
|||
arrive, but it represents the route we take. Frequently, the |
|||
influenced my years greatly; to Magus Zelion Ca'Davre, a |
|||
astrologer will look to The Path for guidance on how long the road |
|||
notable scholar of the Progeny, without whom parts of this |
|||
to fortune stretches. The more powerful the influence, the longer |
|||
text would not have been possible; to my apprentices, who |
|||
this particular Thread extends. Common convention is to attribute |
|||
continually force me to understand things; to Lady Nayann |
|||
to the Avatar the most weight in The Path position. |
|||
Fresnateia, whose remarkable insights and thoughts have in- |
|||
fluenced this work greatly; And last to Master Lomtaun Nedo- |
|||
Finally The Terminus is drawn. The Terminus is so named for its |
|||
rath, whose years of guidance still serve me well. |
|||
severe role in determining the nature of the reading. The Term- |
|||
inus shows you where this Thread of fate will end. We often use |
|||
The Terminus to show us what area of life a reading refers to. |
|||
An inverted Endless Seas might make one think twice about taking a |
|||
swim! |
|||
===Kismet Cards=== |
|||
Not all Tokka dealers restrict themselves to three card spreads, |
|||
however. Sometimes the reason might be appearance. A paying |
|||
customer wants to believe their future is more complex than three |
|||
cards, after all. Usually, though, supplementary cards are dealt |
|||
to provide perspective. This document lacks the space for a full |
|||
discussion of all spreads and the myriad possible arrangements of |
|||
additional cards, so I will attempt to generalize for the sake of |
|||
practicality. |
|||
Cards played prior to the primary spread are referred to as Kismet |
|||
cards. In some configurations there are definite positions for |
|||
both Major and Minor Kismet cards, but my experience has been that |
|||
the difference between these may be somewhat cosmetic. It is |
|||
difficult to say. At any rate, Kismet cards represent an attempt |
|||
by the dealer to provide additional context for the subsequent |
|||
prediction. This is not without danger. |
|||
For every Kismet card you play, you heighten your ability to |
|||
understand the outcome, but you also risk disrupting the results. |
|||
A powerful Portent may significantly impact the turn of The |
|||
Thread, while the appropriate Taisiala might prove to be a boon to |
|||
your Terminus. The effects are somewhat poorly understood, but |
|||
scholars of Tokka have observed an occasional correlation between |
|||
the content of Kismet cards and the outcome of The Thread, The |
|||
Path, and The Terminus. |
|||
Studies are divided as to the explanation for this. One postulate |
|||
is that Kismet cards merely reflect an outcome already predeter- |
|||
mined. If you play The Golden Moon as a Kismet card and proceed |
|||
to finish a prediction with a powerful result, then perhaps the |
|||
reason The Golden Moon was played as a Kismet card was merely to |
|||
clarify the event already destined to happen. Others theorize |
|||
that the Kismet cards actually serve as a cosmic wrench in the |
|||
works, providing additional insight but also altering the course |
|||
of events. Perhaps the random draw of The Golden Moon actually |
|||
served to strengthen the result, consequently reflected by an |
|||
appropriate card in The Thread! As this is roughly akin to the |
|||
predestination versus free will debate, it continues to be hotly |
|||
contested. |
|||
===Inflection, Inversion, and Miscellanea=== |
|||
The above text is a great simplification of the Tokka reading |
|||
process. Shades of meaning alter the effect of every card, while |
|||
the orientation of placement can wholly reverse the means of |
|||
interpretation. I cannot discuss every possibility in this |
|||
document, but I will endeavor to outline the most common. |
|||
Inflection is a term used to describe the connotation of a card. |
|||
The typical practice is to label them merely as good, bad, or |
|||
neutral, though some prefer more colorful terms. I find it appro- |
|||
priate to think of inflection as working either in concert or at |
|||
odds with the desired thread of fate. The practical effect of |
|||
inflection is to either resist or encourage a certain aspect of |
|||
the interpretation. |
|||
For example, The Valley of Mist is frequently seen as a foreboding |
|||
sign and the Fount of Spirit a positive one. Both of these |
|||
cards are Portents and would suggest powerful meaning when played |
|||
in The Thread. In a reading of good omen, the Fount of Spirit |
|||
would be even more influential, while the Valley of Mist less so. |
|||
The negative inflection of Valley of Mists drives the effect of |
|||
the prediction away from what is desired. Conversely, if the |
|||
prediction boded poorly, the Valley of Mists would increase its |
|||
potency, while the Fount of Spirit would diminish the signifi- |
|||
cance. All in all, this effect is somewhat subtle, and a negative |
|||
Portent will still frequently have more effect in The Thread than |
|||
a neutral Taisiala on a beneficial reading. |
|||
Inversion is another phenomenon the skilled Tokka dealer learns to |
|||
interpret. Identifying inversion is easy: the card is played |
|||
upside down. The effect of this on the outcome is often quite |
|||
striking. Inversion in The Thread and The Path will completely |
|||
reverse the scale of the effect. A powerful Avatar played for The |
|||
Thread would have quite little influence, while the same Avatar |
|||
inverted would be quite potent. Inversion also reverses the |
|||
effect of inflection, so those negative cards may still bear |
|||
positive results when inverted. |
|||
Inversion also strongly reflects the final outcome of the reading. |
|||
In the event that no inversion occurs, a reading will almost |
|||
always be beneficial. If The Terminus inverts, however, the omen |
|||
is less positive. Sometimes other arrangements are cause for |
|||
concern as well. For example, inversion of both The Thread and |
|||
The Path rarely bodes well, but an inverted Terminus can count- |
|||
eract that. As you can see, the effect of the Spread must be |
|||
taken as a whole and can rarely be divined from one card alone. |
|||
Lastly, there is the subject of individual card potency. Within a |
|||
given category of cards, we occasionally will refer to some of |
|||
them as "weak" or some as "powerful." This refers to the card's |
|||
potency. Some scholars describe a finely graded scale, but I've |
|||
found little practical value in dividing a category into more than |
|||
three parts. By identifying which of your cards have a weak, |
|||
moderate, or strong influence, you should be able to interpret |
|||
readings with adequate refinement. Below are some general guide- |
|||
lines as to how to do that. |
|||
Avatars: An accepted method of delineating Avatar potency is to |
|||
arrange them by the amount of control that image might have had in |
|||
determining its fate. For example, The Dwarf has slim chance to |
|||
elect another race, while The Minstrel was more able to choose his |
|||
destination. A qualified profession like The Thief of Hearts is |
|||
more potent still. Negative or positively inflected avatars are |
|||
usually easy to pick out as well, as their expression will often |
|||
reflect their influence appropriately. |
|||
Portents: The potency of Portents is understood to scale with the |
|||
scope of the Portent. Something that might affect only one |
|||
person, such as The Locked Door, is understood to represent a weak |
|||
influence, while a Portent like The Dawn is much more universal |
|||
and thus represents a powerful effect. Inflection of Portents |
|||
is somewhat more intangible, but can usually be discerned through |
|||
the connotation of the image. The Crypt is obviously a less |
|||
positive sign than The Stellar Stairway. |
|||
Taisialaen: These require the most study to accurately identify. |
|||
We shall begin with inflection, as it is most simply understood. |
|||
The majority of our constellations take the forms of images |
|||
representing aspects of our deities. These aspects, frequently |
|||
described as light, dark, or neutral, correspond in turn with the |
|||
positive, negative, and neutral inflections. The Centaur, as a |
|||
dark aspect sign, has a negative inflection, while The Dove would |
|||
have a positive inflection. |
|||
As for the potency of the card, it seems to run parallel to the |
|||
complexity of the constellation. This is not a precise measure by |
|||
any means, and only holds within a given inflection. For example, |
|||
The Nightingale is rarely taught before The Cat, but The Cat is a |
|||
much more potent Taisiala, being one of the more advanced neutral |
|||
Taisialaen. Conversely, The Dolphin is an extremely potent Taisi- |
|||
ala, despite being easier to learn than The Viper or The Shark, |
|||
which are much weaker in influence. |
|||
===Conclusion=== |
|||
Consider The Thread, The Path, and The Terminus as houses for |
|||
basic meaning. The Kismet cards provide additional insight with |
|||
additional risk. Portents, Avatars, and Taisialaen each govern an |
|||
aspect of the reading, corresponding to the three positions above. |
|||
When played in their position of strength, they convey more |
|||
powerful meaning. When played as Kismet cards, they heighten your |
|||
understanding of a particular aspect of the reading. |
|||
We study the skies, codify the stars, and triangulate the moons. |
|||
Despite this, our attempts to divine the future are mere reflec- |
|||
tions of a greater truth. Our Tokka cards are but ripples on the |
|||
river of Fate, and reading their meaning is as much an art as a |
|||
science. Using the knowledge in this brief text, I hope I have |
|||
provided some aid in discerning the meaning behind a deal of the |
|||
Tokka deck, but it is a skill that warrants refinement through |
|||
use. The best way to learn is to practice. |
|||
[[Category:Book]][[page type is::book| ]][[guild association is::moon mage| ]] |
[[Category:Book]][[page type is::book| ]][[guild association is::moon mage| ]] |
Revision as of 22:25, 4 June 2009
Prophetic Reflections
By Fateweaver Diansine Marindra
Introduction:
The practice of divination is old. Very old. Long have our ancestors sought tools with which to reveal the patterns of fate. Many methods have evolved since the beginning of history, each according to the predilection of those attempting to see what others could not. Wandering hunter-gatherers saw the future in the chance tumbling of handcarved bones, while scholars drafted charts to track the progress of stars across the sky. These things were not for my people, gamblers, singers, and gypsies that we were.
In every throw of the dice or deal of the deck, the path of your fate branches many times. The dice tumble; the cards are shuffled and cut. This is fate. We do not control the dice or impose our will over the cards. We merely travel along for the ride and read the pips as they lie.
It is in this way that those who follow Fortune's Path came to devise their preferred method of divining. From our tradition of game arose the Tokka deck. It is hard to say precisely when the practice of Tokka originated, but the idea of laying illustrated cards in patterns was a natural evolution of our way of life.
It is unsurprising, then, that Tokka has played an important role in our history. Biographies of talented Gypsies reference their adroit understanding of Tokka and few tales touch on the Unbound without mentioning a deck in some way. Perhaps what is sur- prising, however, is the dearth of material discussing their use. Whether this arises from our habits or some other, more nefarious, cause is difficult to say, but nevertheless it is something that warrants correction.
So it is that this document was begun.
The Cards
If there is one detail on the composition of a Tokka deck that is common knowledge, it is this: no two decks are the same. How, then, does one even begin to go about categorizing their makeup? Well, the truth is that most decks actually have much in common, even if the exact selection of cards is varied. To begin with, all Tokka cards may be categorized into three basic types: Portents, Avatars, and Taisialaen.
When most people think of Tokka cards, they likely envision Portents. These depict an item or a setting, like The Keep, The Web of Fate, or The Silver Scroll. A Portent is a place or situation, or something you must handle. In the grand scheme of fate, Portents do not control where you will go, but they control where you will start -- what you have to work with, if you will. Powerful Portents suggest predictions of great impact.
Avatars do not detail places, instead presenting an image repre- senting a person. The details of the portrait are frequently trivial, but the card will typically portray a particular race or a profession. Some Avatars you might find are The Dwarf, The Minstrel, or The Grinning Rogue. These cards often illuminate the role of the individual in a prediction. It is important to remember that while we cannot often control our fate, we may sometimes determine when we meet it.
Lastly, Taisiala is a word that means "Sky Jewel" in Gamgweth. Taisialaen are painted with images of constellations, occasion- ally connected with lines to facilitate audience appreciation. The stars are a familiar sight to most students of divination, so it should come as little surprise that Taisialaen are commonly interpreted to represent the role of fate itself. Taisialaen have the potential to sway the very outcome of your prediction itself, hinting at dire consequences or providing insight into the nature of your reading.
The Spread
Rarely do cards convey meaningful insight alone. One may draw a powerful Portent from the deck, say, the Jewel of Night. Fre- quently an ominous sign, yet sometimes associated with wealth, the card cannot be put into perspective unless we have a frame of reference. In order to position the cards in a meaningful fash- ion, we lay them into what is commonly referred to as a Spread. The Spread has long been a subject of experimentation for seers of all ilks, but over the years it has become clear that all Spreads require a minimum number of cards to consistently convey output of value. Over time, these required positions came to be known as The Thread, The Path, and The Terminus.
The Thread is always dealt first of the three, as it governs the here and now. As our observations of the heavens give us insight into the strands of fate being woven around us, so does this knowledge flow into the dealing of The Thread. The insight we receive is born of the strength of this card. Because of their nature and immediacy, Portents signify the strongest influence when laid into this position.
Next, we play The Path. Simply put, The Path tells us how we get where we're going. It doesn't tell us what we'll find when we arrive, but it represents the route we take. Frequently, the astrologer will look to The Path for guidance on how long the road to fortune stretches. The more powerful the influence, the longer this particular Thread extends. Common convention is to attribute to the Avatar the most weight in The Path position.
Finally The Terminus is drawn. The Terminus is so named for its severe role in determining the nature of the reading. The Term- inus shows you where this Thread of fate will end. We often use The Terminus to show us what area of life a reading refers to. An inverted Endless Seas might make one think twice about taking a swim!
Kismet Cards
Not all Tokka dealers restrict themselves to three card spreads, however. Sometimes the reason might be appearance. A paying customer wants to believe their future is more complex than three cards, after all. Usually, though, supplementary cards are dealt to provide perspective. This document lacks the space for a full discussion of all spreads and the myriad possible arrangements of additional cards, so I will attempt to generalize for the sake of practicality.
Cards played prior to the primary spread are referred to as Kismet cards. In some configurations there are definite positions for both Major and Minor Kismet cards, but my experience has been that the difference between these may be somewhat cosmetic. It is difficult to say. At any rate, Kismet cards represent an attempt by the dealer to provide additional context for the subsequent prediction. This is not without danger.
For every Kismet card you play, you heighten your ability to understand the outcome, but you also risk disrupting the results. A powerful Portent may significantly impact the turn of The Thread, while the appropriate Taisiala might prove to be a boon to your Terminus. The effects are somewhat poorly understood, but scholars of Tokka have observed an occasional correlation between the content of Kismet cards and the outcome of The Thread, The Path, and The Terminus.
Studies are divided as to the explanation for this. One postulate is that Kismet cards merely reflect an outcome already predeter- mined. If you play The Golden Moon as a Kismet card and proceed to finish a prediction with a powerful result, then perhaps the reason The Golden Moon was played as a Kismet card was merely to clarify the event already destined to happen. Others theorize that the Kismet cards actually serve as a cosmic wrench in the works, providing additional insight but also altering the course of events. Perhaps the random draw of The Golden Moon actually served to strengthen the result, consequently reflected by an appropriate card in The Thread! As this is roughly akin to the predestination versus free will debate, it continues to be hotly contested.
Inflection, Inversion, and Miscellanea
The above text is a great simplification of the Tokka reading process. Shades of meaning alter the effect of every card, while the orientation of placement can wholly reverse the means of interpretation. I cannot discuss every possibility in this document, but I will endeavor to outline the most common.
Inflection is a term used to describe the connotation of a card. The typical practice is to label them merely as good, bad, or neutral, though some prefer more colorful terms. I find it appro- priate to think of inflection as working either in concert or at odds with the desired thread of fate. The practical effect of inflection is to either resist or encourage a certain aspect of the interpretation.
For example, The Valley of Mist is frequently seen as a foreboding sign and the Fount of Spirit a positive one. Both of these cards are Portents and would suggest powerful meaning when played in The Thread. In a reading of good omen, the Fount of Spirit would be even more influential, while the Valley of Mist less so. The negative inflection of Valley of Mists drives the effect of the prediction away from what is desired. Conversely, if the prediction boded poorly, the Valley of Mists would increase its potency, while the Fount of Spirit would diminish the signifi- cance. All in all, this effect is somewhat subtle, and a negative Portent will still frequently have more effect in The Thread than a neutral Taisiala on a beneficial reading.
Inversion is another phenomenon the skilled Tokka dealer learns to interpret. Identifying inversion is easy: the card is played upside down. The effect of this on the outcome is often quite striking. Inversion in The Thread and The Path will completely reverse the scale of the effect. A powerful Avatar played for The Thread would have quite little influence, while the same Avatar inverted would be quite potent. Inversion also reverses the effect of inflection, so those negative cards may still bear positive results when inverted.
Inversion also strongly reflects the final outcome of the reading. In the event that no inversion occurs, a reading will almost always be beneficial. If The Terminus inverts, however, the omen is less positive. Sometimes other arrangements are cause for concern as well. For example, inversion of both The Thread and The Path rarely bodes well, but an inverted Terminus can count- eract that. As you can see, the effect of the Spread must be taken as a whole and can rarely be divined from one card alone.
Lastly, there is the subject of individual card potency. Within a given category of cards, we occasionally will refer to some of them as "weak" or some as "powerful." This refers to the card's potency. Some scholars describe a finely graded scale, but I've found little practical value in dividing a category into more than three parts. By identifying which of your cards have a weak, moderate, or strong influence, you should be able to interpret readings with adequate refinement. Below are some general guide- lines as to how to do that.
Avatars: An accepted method of delineating Avatar potency is to arrange them by the amount of control that image might have had in determining its fate. For example, The Dwarf has slim chance to elect another race, while The Minstrel was more able to choose his destination. A qualified profession like The Thief of Hearts is more potent still. Negative or positively inflected avatars are usually easy to pick out as well, as their expression will often reflect their influence appropriately.
Portents: The potency of Portents is understood to scale with the scope of the Portent. Something that might affect only one person, such as The Locked Door, is understood to represent a weak influence, while a Portent like The Dawn is much more universal and thus represents a powerful effect. Inflection of Portents is somewhat more intangible, but can usually be discerned through the connotation of the image. The Crypt is obviously a less positive sign than The Stellar Stairway.
Taisialaen: These require the most study to accurately identify. We shall begin with inflection, as it is most simply understood. The majority of our constellations take the forms of images representing aspects of our deities. These aspects, frequently described as light, dark, or neutral, correspond in turn with the positive, negative, and neutral inflections. The Centaur, as a dark aspect sign, has a negative inflection, while The Dove would have a positive inflection.
As for the potency of the card, it seems to run parallel to the complexity of the constellation. This is not a precise measure by any means, and only holds within a given inflection. For example, The Nightingale is rarely taught before The Cat, but The Cat is a much more potent Taisiala, being one of the more advanced neutral Taisialaen. Conversely, The Dolphin is an extremely potent Taisi- ala, despite being easier to learn than The Viper or The Shark, which are much weaker in influence.
Conclusion
Consider The Thread, The Path, and The Terminus as houses for basic meaning. The Kismet cards provide additional insight with additional risk. Portents, Avatars, and Taisialaen each govern an aspect of the reading, corresponding to the three positions above. When played in their position of strength, they convey more powerful meaning. When played as Kismet cards, they heighten your understanding of a particular aspect of the reading.
We study the skies, codify the stars, and triangulate the moons. Despite this, our attempts to divine the future are mere reflec- tions of a greater truth. Our Tokka cards are but ripples on the river of Fate, and reading their meaning is as much an art as a science. Using the knowledge in this brief text, I hope I have provided some aid in discerning the meaning behind a deal of the Tokka deck, but it is a skill that warrants refinement through use. The best way to learn is to practice."Moon mage" is not in the list (None, Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Empath, Moon Mage, Necromancer, Paladin, Ranger, Thief, ...) of allowed values for the "Guild association is" property.