On the Nature of the Wheel - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

On the Nature of the Wheel

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
melpomene
Mar 04, 2007 19:42:36 I have noted in the course of my studies, a vast group of seemingly educated people, including many wizards, have rather backwards views on the functionality of the world we live in. They insist on such foolhardy principles as molecular structure, physics, and other shoddy ways of thinking. Their theories do very little to actually explain anything of the true nature of the world. Therefore, I shall attempt to show you some of the nature of the truth. This document attempts to both explain the behavior of the Wheel in a rational way and to predict the behavior of other, new elements.

Our world, Prime, is made primarily of positive energy. A few random bits of other material exists, as does negative energy, but the overwhelming majority of what we view is positive energy. From the rock, to the stream, to the birds, to you and me; positive energy flows through all. Living things have a very strong concentration of positive energy which is drawn out from the outer planes at birth, and returned there at death.

This filament of self is called a soul. The soul has six primary structures, a formation in six parts. I have yet to find an adequate label for these structures, but a Transmutist I encountered gave them my favorite nomenclature: Bull, Cat, Bear, Fox, Owl, and Eagle. Of all these structures, Bear seems to be the most unique. It is found only in living beings: entirely absent in constructs or in the negative souls of the undead. The Bear unites with Eagle upon death, and guides the soul to its final resting place. Without both Bear and Eagle, a soul almost never passes on. Thus, I believe the ability to instill Bear from nothing is on of the factors which separates mortals from gods.

Next, there are the inner elements. Positive energy does not have an even shape or a universal texture, so to speak. Instead, positive energy has four primary attributes, as well as four secondary attributes. The primary attributes are by far the most common.

Air is the most abundant primary attribute. It can be found nearly everywhere in the wheel, granting breath and life to all. It is not only the element which enables flight, but all forms of locomotion. Air is, however, highly diffuse. There is a low concentration of air in most places. When the gradient increases, wind results, but it is seldom substantial.

The next most diffuse attribute is fire. Being nearly as light as air, one would expect fire to be nearly as omnipresent. Thankfully, this is not so. The reason is because elemental fire has two unique attributes. The first is malleability. Fire is highly unstable and grants similar instability to what it comes in contact with. Hence, fire is useful for smithing, etc. Fire also attracts a large amount of negative energy. You can see for yourself that burns created by elemental fire are very similar to those created with negative energy. Both create a blackened, necrotic area and dissolve material.

The third attribute is earth. Earth is highly resistant to change, more so than any of the other elements. Earth is very compact, hard, and heavy, however, it is also positive energy poor, and makes for a poor growth medium compared to other elements such as water.

Last of the attributes is the most interesting: water. Water is extremely rich in positive energy. Take, for example, the fact that nearly all living creatures, including outsiders, bleed. This is because elemental water is used to carry the majority of the positive energy within the creature. Water is the best attribute for growth, causing plants and animals to prosper near and around it. Furthermore, elemental water is also used as the vessel to transport souls to and from the outer planes, as it keeps mostly intact the vulnerable elemental alignments.

Next, I believe it would be best to discuss the sun, as it is another powerful vector for positive energy into Prime. The sun is not, as many have suggested, an object in the sky. It is no more an object than an archway is. The sun is a massive, open gateway to the positive energy plane. Through the gateway streams most of the soul energy which creates life here on Prime. Pelor, keeper of the sun, also entwines a touch of his own spark into the stream, making sunlight elementally Good. It is not at all harmful to tan under the sun, and those who do not will almost certainly become weak, frail, and wicked.

Negative energy is harder to pin down. It seeps mostly through the ground, lays low over swamps and moors, streams in through the night sky, stalks in ever cough, and swirls in poxes and rot. At this time, that is all I will mention with regard to Negative energy.

Briefly, I would like to review the four secondary attributes of positive energy; Law, Chaos, Evil, and Good. These attributes are found in very low concentrations on most beings in Prime. As we do wicked and evil deeds, our souls become more receptive to Evil energy, and we take more on. As we accumulate evil energy, we do more evil. It isn’t as cyclical and spiraling as it sounds, but it does feed on itself if not checked.

The same is true for the other three secondary attributes. You can spiral into Good, Chaos, or Law just as easily. Usually, this energy diffuses evenly over the soul, perhaps bunching here or there. In a few individuals, however, such as paladins, the energy will ball up and form a structure that looks like a fruit growing off the “tree” of their soul. It is very concentrated, but also very easy to break off and lose.

The stronger the concentration of positive energy is, of any element, the more powerful the individual. Muscles, brain matter, size, and all other “physical” examples of strength and prowess are only the result of the positive energy gradient within. That is, your muscles don’t make you stronger; you have big muscles because you are strong.

Now I will give you just a brief overview of how magic “works,” in the most general terms, working alphabetically.

• Abjuration, is essentially an inhibitor of positive energy. Abjurers wield energy by forcing it still.
• Conjurers channel energy, either ambient or from the sun, and use it to create. Conjuration is the most grandiose magic, but the more subtle aspects are sometimes the most impressive.
• Divination operates under the principle that all positive energy is essentially connected. If energy is omnipresent, the vast tapestry of it can be viewed by diviners. By viewing these strings and where they lead, one can glean tremendous information.
• Enchantment works by altering the energy associated with the Eagle formation. It is a very exacting science of a discipline, but with very powerful results.
• Evokers are an interesting sort, and they “create” their effects by transforming energy. The spell Fireball [Editor’s note: Fireball can be found in your textbook, Standard Book of Spells Volume 3 ½ on page 231] for example, is no more than aligning air energy so it more resembles fire. Illusion concerns mostly with effecting, and sometimes altering, the Owl pattern in others. Again, it is a subtle art and ephemeral art but certainly a powerful one.
• Necromancy has more “experts” in it then all the other fields combined. For now, it should be said that necromancy uses negative energy rather than positive, and leave it at that.
• Transmuters alter the shape of positive energy, causing it to react differently to the environment. It is a dangerous, but graceful and powerful, art.

I will briefly go over two aspects of negative energy in order to give a bit of a better understanding. These aspects are reciprocity and negation. I’ll begin with negation as it is the easiest to understand. Simply stated, negative energy consumes positive energy. If equal amounts of negative and positive energy are admixtured, the net result is nothingness. This negation effect is integral in the removal of dead matter, as well as keeping lakes from flooding over with rain, and a number of other natural needs. At any given time, there is a substantial amount of difference between positive and negative energy in the Wheel. The difference, put bluntly, is all of reality. Therefore, negative energy is highly diffuse in its natural state, and much less commonly found naturally.

Secondly, Negative Energy has reciprocity. As mentioned, equal parts negative and positive energy cancel. This is because the two energy types are identical, only inversed. Inversed elemental air is the most common, and is felt as swamp gas, the stench of decay, and tomb musk. Negative water causes a body to rot and decay, etc. Elemental fire is so rare I do not have any records of it even being observed, as it would consume itself nearly instantly. It is because Negative Energy is so analogous to Positive energy that it can be shaped or formed.

A burning question must now be on your minds. The answer is "yes," one can build an inversed soul. I cannot overstress an admonition against doing so, however. Although they are traditionally crafted without the fox group and are therefore without intelligent dictation, it is simply enough that they have the perverse negative soul as it is. Negative energy consumes through negation. To prevent their own soul from devouring their body, an undead must provide ample positive energy to "digest." Souls, being self-perpetuating by their nature, do not snuff out through this process, but it does cause near-constant pain and hunger, even without a fox formation. This is why undead who are made to go without killing mortals regularly decay, where intelligent undead such as vampires retain their form. Overall, the entire process is gut-wrenchingly foul, and should be avoided where possible.

I would be remiss in my assessment of the nature of the Wheel if I didn't describe the general shape of it. Firstly, the two dimensional view is both obtusely ugly and inaccurate. The three dimensional models are more accurate, but flawed. Many of the outer planes expand outwardly infinitely, and yet retain properties related to stratification. They are degrees of infinity. These planes stretch out, sprawling out in a "direction." As they do, they also descend downward, tapering out, but never reaching nothingness. A few planes bend or twist with dozens of variations, both literal and metaphorical.

Through this run two stretches which bind the outer planes and unify them with Prime. They are made mostly of elemental water and infused with the elemental alignments. They are Oceanus and Styx, and they do more than simply shuttle souls. These rivers bind the planes together, maintaining the structure of the planes. This is another example of water and its ability to bind positive energy.

The elemental planes lie nestled within this arrangement. They are nebulous, surrounded by the outer planes, preventing them from detaching. The inner planes feed all the planes, but primarily and expressly prime. The inner planes are highly mobile, moving cyclically, rotating. That is, of course, except for the plane of Earth. Earth remains firmly on the other side of the positive energy plane.

The positive and negative energy planes bisect the wheel oddly. They rotate an axis around Prime, forming night and day. They touch each of the other planes, but run only a thin line in and out of Prime. The Positive and Negative planes cannot reach the infinite outer planes; thus, the out realms remain eternal and unchanging in their far depths.

Then there is Prime, which is an immensely interesting plane by itself. It lies in the dead centre of all. I cannot say at this time whether Prime formed because it was at the centre of the other planes, or whether the planes formed around its central point. Attached are several side planes, concurrent and mirrored.

Running in it all is the astral plane, surrounded by the outer planes. The astral plane is made of ectoplasm, a substance which has many interesting properties which I don't have much information on. I'm a wizard, not a shaper. Suffice it to say that ectoplasm is naturally weightless and viscous, but can be formed, hardened, and shaped.

Lastly, is a place where the outer planes converge. Each outer plane individually negates its opposing element, in a sort of rudimentary way. The result of the convergence, then, is a space of nothingness. It strips from all who enter the traces of self, the aligned energy of the beings there.

It is difficult to think of anything encompassing what is, essentially, an infinite system. That being said, the Far Realms lie beyond the boundaries of the Wheel. Of all I have mentioned, once on steps out of the Wheel and into the Far Realms the laws of energy, and all other natural laws, fall apart. Thus, it is considered a place of madness and chaos. In this realm, the standard rules of time, space, and being do not apply. Travel on the plane requires either exactingly careful preparation or unspeakable power coupled with dumb luck. As there is no true space or time, movement is incomprehensibly awkward. In addition, it is also hazardous. Pockets of time, element, space, or any number of other factors could suddenly cause a travel to perish. Not even the hardiest Material vessels, for example, can stand being aged ten million years and then compressed to the size of a gold piece.

There are other hazards, too. Dwelling within the Far Realms are a menagerie of beasts which can outdo the Slaadi and Demons in their peculiarity. Like a great ocean, there are strata of creatures, the weakest and most teaming dwelling closest to shore. Every now and again one of these will slip into our world and cause all manner of trouble. Beyond those bottom-feeders, though, are the sharks and whales of the inky eternity. There are beings whose power does not know any boundary of time or space. These are Gods among Gods, beings to which all others tremble. Fortunately, reality itself acts a beachhead, keeping them from directly assaulting our reality. Past the stars, there may be other worlds. Indeed, many have claimed to have glimpsed these worlds, usually from ancient texts or writings. For myself, I find enough adventure here.

I hope this has given you a feel of the nature of the real workings of the world. While I do not claim to be infallible on these points, my theories, at least, offer a better example of how the world works than “physics” or “biology” ever could.
#2
faerellg
Mar 06, 2007 18:15:34 Hooray for metaphysics! While I would quibble on minor points here and there, by in large the article was rather enlightening.
#3
Fargren
Mar 07, 2007 7:36:57 Professor Melpomene:

I've found your study most enlightening and interesting, and would like to offer you my utmost congratulations. I would like to request of you that you extend your article a bit, so that it explains the art of psionics, which it's clear you know since you mention shapers. If you are versed enough in that subject to offer an analysis of it, it will be highly appreciated.
#4
zombiegleemax
Mar 08, 2007 18:18:17 Dear Fagren,

Upon hearing your question in Professor Melpomene's lecture, I felt I could offer my expertise on the situation regarding the dreamers and the adepts of the dreaming, sometimes called psionics.

In the grand cosmology shown Professor M. psionics appear, briefly the good Professor omitted the strongest of the concurrent planes, the Dreaming. The Dreaming is a manifestation of the Astral plane, and it facilitates the use and access of the ectoplasm contained by the Astral plane.

The nomenclature used for the models of the dreaming does not fit well with the natural totemic imagery called upon by the arcanists and the faithful, dreamers divide life into six similar aspects, three of the brain and three of the body. Muscle, Nerve, and Heart comprise the body while the Sum, Ergo, and Cogito comprise the brain.

When dreamers manifest their powers they are simply pulling a aspect of the brain, and thus of the dreaming, and applying to the body, an aspect of the Prime.

Dreamers can manifest their respective realities in a number of ways. The Martially inclined manifest the Cogito (the state of having a reality) while the Psions, those who are truely of the dreaming, must use their Ergo (or reasoning of reality). The Sum (Confidence in reality) allows Wilders to manifest nearly any aspect of the dreaming.

The Psions call on the separated domains of dream to allow them to work their crafts we will cover them briefly here:
Clairsentience wielded by seers allows them to tap into the limitless reach of the dreaming and view events, limited only by their knowledge of the Dreaming and their analysis thereof.
Metacreativity, the shapers of whom you asked do precisely as the good Professor said, they pull ectoplasm from the Astral Plane and use the dreaming to shape it to their wills.
Psychokinesis for the explosive kineticists, the ability to pull the actions and reactions they establish in the dreaming onto reality.
Psychometabolism which is manifested by egoists allows the ergo of the Dreamer to supersede most aspects of the body.
Psychoportation which is the domain of the nomads lets its scholars move in jaunts through the Dreaming to reach another point outside it, be that point past, present, future or planar.
Telepathy is for touching the minds of others by the uniting Dreaming and understanding and influencing the minds they touch.

While the dreaming is pervasive and omnipresent, it is not immune to influence, truly as the gods can grant Heart and Cogito to a being, they can also shape and twist the dreaming to their ends. The elements have little bearing on the dream and it may twist and shape into any of them as it pleases. The energies and forces, Positive-Negative, Law-Chaos, and Good-Evil all pass through the dreaming and impact it in unique ways.

The dreaming also absorbs some properties of the planes it intersects, while the material plane simply is distorted and mirrored in the dreaming, other planes force the dreaming to warp the Astral plane into forms of themselves. Some scholars suggest that the Dreaming may prove the existence of the theoretical "Demi-Planes" that some claim.

I hope that this can clarify this matter for you.

Professor D_____
PhM, AM, PsD
#5
zombiegleemax
Mar 28, 2007 17:30:36 Ah professor, most enlightening. Your dissertation will be most useful to me in explaining to several apprentices, who have been caught up in this "mundane magic" fallacy that is so popular nowadays, why their experiments are flawed. I would like to hear your expanded thoughts on the nature of the Ethereal Plane and the plane of shadow.

Sincerely,
~Magus Gar Kan
Loremaster

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 melpomene Mar 04, 2007 19:42:36	I have noted in the course of my studies, a vast group of seemingly educated people, including many wizards, have rather backwards views on the functionality of the world we live in. They insist on such foolhardy principles as molecular structure, physics, and other shoddy ways of thinking. Their theories do very little to actually explain anything of the true nature of the world. Therefore, I shall attempt to show you some of the nature of the truth. This document attempts to both explain the behavior of the Wheel in a rational way and to predict the behavior of other, new elements. Our world, Prime, is made primarily of positive energy. A few random bits of other material exists, as does negative energy, but the overwhelming majority of what we view is positive energy. From the rock, to the stream, to the birds, to you and me; positive energy flows through all. Living things have a very strong concentration of positive energy which is drawn out from the outer planes at birth, and returned there at death. This filament of self is called a soul. The soul has six primary structures, a formation in six parts. I have yet to find an adequate label for these structures, but a Transmutist I encountered gave them my favorite nomenclature: Bull, Cat, Bear, Fox, Owl, and Eagle. Of all these structures, Bear seems to be the most unique. It is found only in living beings: entirely absent in constructs or in the negative souls of the undead. The Bear unites with Eagle upon death, and guides the soul to its final resting place. Without both Bear and Eagle, a soul almost never passes on. Thus, I believe the ability to instill Bear from nothing is on of the factors which separates mortals from gods. Next, there are the inner elements. Positive energy does not have an even shape or a universal texture, so to speak. Instead, positive energy has four primary attributes, as well as four secondary attributes. The primary attributes are by far the most common. Air is the most abundant primary attribute. It can be found nearly everywhere in the wheel, granting breath and life to all. It is not only the element which enables flight, but all forms of locomotion. Air is, however, highly diffuse. There is a low concentration of air in most places. When the gradient increases, wind results, but it is seldom substantial. The next most diffuse attribute is fire. Being nearly as light as air, one would expect fire to be nearly as omnipresent. Thankfully, this is not so. The reason is because elemental fire has two unique attributes. The first is malleability. Fire is highly unstable and grants similar instability to what it comes in contact with. Hence, fire is useful for smithing, etc. Fire also attracts a large amount of negative energy. You can see for yourself that burns created by elemental fire are very similar to those created with negative energy. Both create a blackened, necrotic area and dissolve material. The third attribute is earth. Earth is highly resistant to change, more so than any of the other elements. Earth is very compact, hard, and heavy, however, it is also positive energy poor, and makes for a poor growth medium compared to other elements such as water. Last of the attributes is the most interesting: water. Water is extremely rich in positive energy. Take, for example, the fact that nearly all living creatures, including outsiders, bleed. This is because elemental water is used to carry the majority of the positive energy within the creature. Water is the best attribute for growth, causing plants and animals to prosper near and around it. Furthermore, elemental water is also used as the vessel to transport souls to and from the outer planes, as it keeps mostly intact the vulnerable elemental alignments. Next, I believe it would be best to discuss the sun, as it is another powerful vector for positive energy into Prime. The sun is not, as many have suggested, an object in the sky. It is no more an object than an archway is. The sun is a massive, open gateway to the positive energy plane. Through the gateway streams most of the soul energy which creates life here on Prime. Pelor, keeper of the sun, also entwines a touch of his own spark into the stream, making sunlight elementally Good. It is not at all harmful to tan under the sun, and those who do not will almost certainly become weak, frail, and wicked. Negative energy is harder to pin down. It seeps mostly through the ground, lays low over swamps and moors, streams in through the night sky, stalks in ever cough, and swirls in poxes and rot. At this time, that is all I will mention with regard to Negative energy. Briefly, I would like to review the four secondary attributes of positive energy; Law, Chaos, Evil, and Good. These attributes are found in very low concentrations on most beings in Prime. As we do wicked and evil deeds, our souls become more receptive to Evil energy, and we take more on. As we accumulate evil energy, we do more evil. It isn’t as cyclical and spiraling as it sounds, but it does feed on itself if not checked. The same is true for the other three secondary attributes. You can spiral into Good, Chaos, or Law just as easily. Usually, this energy diffuses evenly over the soul, perhaps bunching here or there. In a few individuals, however, such as paladins, the energy will ball up and form a structure that looks like a fruit growing off the “tree” of their soul. It is very concentrated, but also very easy to break off and lose. The stronger the concentration of positive energy is, of any element, the more powerful the individual. Muscles, brain matter, size, and all other “physical” examples of strength and prowess are only the result of the positive energy gradient within. That is, your muscles don’t make you stronger; you have big muscles because you are strong. Now I will give you just a brief overview of how magic “works,” in the most general terms, working alphabetically. • Abjuration, is essentially an inhibitor of positive energy. Abjurers wield energy by forcing it still. • Conjurers channel energy, either ambient or from the sun, and use it to create. Conjuration is the most grandiose magic, but the more subtle aspects are sometimes the most impressive. • Divination operates under the principle that all positive energy is essentially connected. If energy is omnipresent, the vast tapestry of it can be viewed by diviners. By viewing these strings and where they lead, one can glean tremendous information. • Enchantment works by altering the energy associated with the Eagle formation. It is a very exacting science of a discipline, but with very powerful results. • Evokers are an interesting sort, and they “create” their effects by transforming energy. The spell Fireball [Editor’s note: Fireball can be found in your textbook, Standard Book of Spells Volume 3 ½ on page 231] for example, is no more than aligning air energy so it more resembles fire. Illusion concerns mostly with effecting, and sometimes altering, the Owl pattern in others. Again, it is a subtle art and ephemeral art but certainly a powerful one. • Necromancy has more “experts” in it then all the other fields combined. For now, it should be said that necromancy uses negative energy rather than positive, and leave it at that. • Transmuters alter the shape of positive energy, causing it to react differently to the environment. It is a dangerous, but graceful and powerful, art. I will briefly go over two aspects of negative energy in order to give a bit of a better understanding. These aspects are reciprocity and negation. I’ll begin with negation as it is the easiest to understand. Simply stated, negative energy consumes positive energy. If equal amounts of negative and positive energy are admixtured, the net result is nothingness. This negation effect is integral in the removal of dead matter, as well as keeping lakes from flooding over with rain, and a number of other natural needs. At any given time, there is a substantial amount of difference between positive and negative energy in the Wheel. The difference, put bluntly, is all of reality. Therefore, negative energy is highly diffuse in its natural state, and much less commonly found naturally. Secondly, Negative Energy has reciprocity. As mentioned, equal parts negative and positive energy cancel. This is because the two energy types are identical, only inversed. Inversed elemental air is the most common, and is felt as swamp gas, the stench of decay, and tomb musk. Negative water causes a body to rot and decay, etc. Elemental fire is so rare I do not have any records of it even being observed, as it would consume itself nearly instantly. It is because Negative Energy is so analogous to Positive energy that it can be shaped or formed. A burning question must now be on your minds. The answer is "yes," one can build an inversed soul. I cannot overstress an admonition against doing so, however. Although they are traditionally crafted without the fox group and are therefore without intelligent dictation, it is simply enough that they have the perverse negative soul as it is. Negative energy consumes through negation. To prevent their own soul from devouring their body, an undead must provide ample positive energy to "digest." Souls, being self-perpetuating by their nature, do not snuff out through this process, but it does cause near-constant pain and hunger, even without a fox formation. This is why undead who are made to go without killing mortals regularly decay, where intelligent undead such as vampires retain their form. Overall, the entire process is gut-wrenchingly foul, and should be avoided where possible. I would be remiss in my assessment of the nature of the Wheel if I didn't describe the general shape of it. Firstly, the two dimensional view is both obtusely ugly and inaccurate. The three dimensional models are more accurate, but flawed. Many of the outer planes expand outwardly infinitely, and yet retain properties related to stratification. They are degrees of infinity. These planes stretch out, sprawling out in a "direction." As they do, they also descend downward, tapering out, but never reaching nothingness. A few planes bend or twist with dozens of variations, both literal and metaphorical. Through this run two stretches which bind the outer planes and unify them with Prime. They are made mostly of elemental water and infused with the elemental alignments. They are Oceanus and Styx, and they do more than simply shuttle souls. These rivers bind the planes together, maintaining the structure of the planes. This is another example of water and its ability to bind positive energy. The elemental planes lie nestled within this arrangement. They are nebulous, surrounded by the outer planes, preventing them from detaching. The inner planes feed all the planes, but primarily and expressly prime. The inner planes are highly mobile, moving cyclically, rotating. That is, of course, except for the plane of Earth. Earth remains firmly on the other side of the positive energy plane. The positive and negative energy planes bisect the wheel oddly. They rotate an axis around Prime, forming night and day. They touch each of the other planes, but run only a thin line in and out of Prime. The Positive and Negative planes cannot reach the infinite outer planes; thus, the out realms remain eternal and unchanging in their far depths. Then there is Prime, which is an immensely interesting plane by itself. It lies in the dead centre of all. I cannot say at this time whether Prime formed because it was at the centre of the other planes, or whether the planes formed around its central point. Attached are several side planes, concurrent and mirrored. Running in it all is the astral plane, surrounded by the outer planes. The astral plane is made of ectoplasm, a substance which has many interesting properties which I don't have much information on. I'm a wizard, not a shaper. Suffice it to say that ectoplasm is naturally weightless and viscous, but can be formed, hardened, and shaped. Lastly, is a place where the outer planes converge. Each outer plane individually negates its opposing element, in a sort of rudimentary way. The result of the convergence, then, is a space of nothingness. It strips from all who enter the traces of self, the aligned energy of the beings there. It is difficult to think of anything encompassing what is, essentially, an infinite system. That being said, the Far Realms lie beyond the boundaries of the Wheel. Of all I have mentioned, once on steps out of the Wheel and into the Far Realms the laws of energy, and all other natural laws, fall apart. Thus, it is considered a place of madness and chaos. In this realm, the standard rules of time, space, and being do not apply. Travel on the plane requires either exactingly careful preparation or unspeakable power coupled with dumb luck. As there is no true space or time, movement is incomprehensibly awkward. In addition, it is also hazardous. Pockets of time, element, space, or any number of other factors could suddenly cause a travel to perish. Not even the hardiest Material vessels, for example, can stand being aged ten million years and then compressed to the size of a gold piece. There are other hazards, too. Dwelling within the Far Realms are a menagerie of beasts which can outdo the Slaadi and Demons in their peculiarity. Like a great ocean, there are strata of creatures, the weakest and most teaming dwelling closest to shore. Every now and again one of these will slip into our world and cause all manner of trouble. Beyond those bottom-feeders, though, are the sharks and whales of the inky eternity. There are beings whose power does not know any boundary of time or space. These are Gods among Gods, beings to which all others tremble. Fortunately, reality itself acts a beachhead, keeping them from directly assaulting our reality. Past the stars, there may be other worlds. Indeed, many have claimed to have glimpsed these worlds, usually from ancient texts or writings. For myself, I find enough adventure here. I hope this has given you a feel of the nature of the real workings of the world. While I do not claim to be infallible on these points, my theories, at least, offer a better example of how the world works than “physics” or “biology” ever could.
#2 faerellg Mar 06, 2007 18:15:34	Hooray for metaphysics! While I would quibble on minor points here and there, by in large the article was rather enlightening.
#3 Fargren Mar 07, 2007 7:36:57	Professor Melpomene: I've found your study most enlightening and interesting, and would like to offer you my utmost congratulations. I would like to request of you that you extend your article a bit, so that it explains the art of psionics, which it's clear you know since you mention shapers. If you are versed enough in that subject to offer an analysis of it, it will be highly appreciated.
#4 zombiegleemax Mar 08, 2007 18:18:17	Dear Fagren, Upon hearing your question in Professor Melpomene's lecture, I felt I could offer my expertise on the situation regarding the dreamers and the adepts of the dreaming, sometimes called psionics. In the grand cosmology shown Professor M. psionics appear, briefly the good Professor omitted the strongest of the concurrent planes, the Dreaming. The Dreaming is a manifestation of the Astral plane, and it facilitates the use and access of the ectoplasm contained by the Astral plane. The nomenclature used for the models of the dreaming does not fit well with the natural totemic imagery called upon by the arcanists and the faithful, dreamers divide life into six similar aspects, three of the brain and three of the body. Muscle, Nerve, and Heart comprise the body while the Sum, Ergo, and Cogito comprise the brain. When dreamers manifest their powers they are simply pulling a aspect of the brain, and thus of the dreaming, and applying to the body, an aspect of the Prime. Dreamers can manifest their respective realities in a number of ways. The Martially inclined manifest the Cogito (the state of having a reality) while the Psions, those who are truely of the dreaming, must use their Ergo (or reasoning of reality). The Sum (Confidence in reality) allows Wilders to manifest nearly any aspect of the dreaming. The Psions call on the separated domains of dream to allow them to work their crafts we will cover them briefly here: Clairsentience wielded by seers allows them to tap into the limitless reach of the dreaming and view events, limited only by their knowledge of the Dreaming and their analysis thereof. Metacreativity, the shapers of whom you asked do precisely as the good Professor said, they pull ectoplasm from the Astral Plane and use the dreaming to shape it to their wills. Psychokinesis for the explosive kineticists, the ability to pull the actions and reactions they establish in the dreaming onto reality. Psychometabolism which is manifested by egoists allows the ergo of the Dreamer to supersede most aspects of the body. Psychoportation which is the domain of the nomads lets its scholars move in jaunts through the Dreaming to reach another point outside it, be that point past, present, future or planar. Telepathy is for touching the minds of others by the uniting Dreaming and understanding and influencing the minds they touch. While the dreaming is pervasive and omnipresent, it is not immune to influence, truly as the gods can grant Heart and Cogito to a being, they can also shape and twist the dreaming to their ends. The elements have little bearing on the dream and it may twist and shape into any of them as it pleases. The energies and forces, Positive-Negative, Law-Chaos, and Good-Evil all pass through the dreaming and impact it in unique ways. The dreaming also absorbs some properties of the planes it intersects, while the material plane simply is distorted and mirrored in the dreaming, other planes force the dreaming to warp the Astral plane into forms of themselves. Some scholars suggest that the Dreaming may prove the existence of the theoretical "Demi-Planes" that some claim. I hope that this can clarify this matter for you. Professor D_____ PhM, AM, PsD
#5 zombiegleemax Mar 28, 2007 17:30:36	Ah professor, most enlightening. Your dissertation will be most useful to me in explaining to several apprentices, who have been caught up in this "mundane magic" fallacy that is so popular nowadays, why their experiments are flawed. I would like to hear your expanded thoughts on the nature of the Ethereal Plane and the plane of shadow. Sincerely, ~Magus Gar Kan Loremaster