THOUGHT: Peaks and Valleys
Gargulec
impact!
- Location
- a garden
In the fifth year of your Exaltation, you endeavoured to initiate yourself into the Sapphire Circle of Sorcery. In open defiance of your teachers, you have mastered a series of self-destructive breathing exercises, which you have then used to launch your soul into travel across the dark between the stars, where, according to the legends of the Ivy Manse of Secrets, Jupiter had once hidden all the knowledge too dangerous to let it touch the terrestrial realm. You were sure to find what you were looking for there: not for nothing is the Second Circle of sorcery also called the Celestial one.
Having navigated your way there, you were surprised to see it inhabited. The forbidden gods of the reverse side of Night did not take kindly to your trespass, but it was too late for you to turn back. They pursued you across their domain as you raided their shrines and temples, seeking illumination in the realm opposite to light. Never in your life have you felt a joy as pure as during that mad dash from one star-shadow to another, bleeding a comet's trail of emerald Essence. But, of course, those gods, those brooding sentinels condemned to a forever vigil by the Maiden of Secrets herself, could not be outran, could not be outwitted, and certainly could not be overpowered by a youthful Exalt such as you. In the course of your escape, you have the way back, sinking deeper and deeper into the black, the killer sky-sea serpents of Nox drawing ever closer. You laughed even as they coiled around your soul-form, and began to drag you towards the sacrificial altar in the wreckage of the constellation of the Mask. You laughed, because if your plan was not going to work, what point was there to living a life that was small and limited?
Your teacher arrived in the nick of time, the Greater Sign of Jupiter burning in her hand with the authority of the Incarna themselves. She scattered the shade-beasts, struck a terrible blow to the Long Night King who about to make an offering out of you, and then before that fell deity could recover, reeled your soul back into your body.
To describe her as furious with you would be as if to describe Venus as beautiful or Saturn as brooding. What you attempted shouldn't be allowed to Sidereals a dozen times your age, seasoned and experienced in all the arts necessary to survive the trek to the opposite side of Night. In fact, it shouldn't have been possible for one as inexperienced as you to perform the soul projection, and if not for her assistance, you would have been surely destroyed or worse, registered on Creation's sky as a meteor falling, burning in its folly. For hours, she scolded you, threatened with all kinds censure, reminded you of all the lessons of hers you did not heed, and promised that with an attitude like that you could never find your way to the Celestial Circle as it required more than talent: it required wisdom. All through her lecture, you laughed, and laughed, and when she finally demanded to know what set you in such a good mood, and if your mind was still there, you asked to be brought to the training grounds of the Ivy Manse of Secrets. There, you picked up your ritual sword, and cut a path for the essence of sky to animate the earth and bring forth the Magma Kraken.
Once the fire had been put out, you explained to your slack-jawed teacher that she was absolutely right that you could never find a way back from the night's other kingdom by yourself. But you figured that if someone else brought you back, you could maybe pilfer enough secrets from behind the stars to initiate yourself into the Celestial Circle ahead of the usual schedule.
She called you a prodigy, a moron, and a woman who would sorely regret the next decade of her life, but at least your next assigned taught you how to love the parts of Creation that are least amicable to human life, and how to practice on your own terms, and without anyone to scold you when things go wrong.
Having navigated your way there, you were surprised to see it inhabited. The forbidden gods of the reverse side of Night did not take kindly to your trespass, but it was too late for you to turn back. They pursued you across their domain as you raided their shrines and temples, seeking illumination in the realm opposite to light. Never in your life have you felt a joy as pure as during that mad dash from one star-shadow to another, bleeding a comet's trail of emerald Essence. But, of course, those gods, those brooding sentinels condemned to a forever vigil by the Maiden of Secrets herself, could not be outran, could not be outwitted, and certainly could not be overpowered by a youthful Exalt such as you. In the course of your escape, you have the way back, sinking deeper and deeper into the black, the killer sky-sea serpents of Nox drawing ever closer. You laughed even as they coiled around your soul-form, and began to drag you towards the sacrificial altar in the wreckage of the constellation of the Mask. You laughed, because if your plan was not going to work, what point was there to living a life that was small and limited?
Your teacher arrived in the nick of time, the Greater Sign of Jupiter burning in her hand with the authority of the Incarna themselves. She scattered the shade-beasts, struck a terrible blow to the Long Night King who about to make an offering out of you, and then before that fell deity could recover, reeled your soul back into your body.
To describe her as furious with you would be as if to describe Venus as beautiful or Saturn as brooding. What you attempted shouldn't be allowed to Sidereals a dozen times your age, seasoned and experienced in all the arts necessary to survive the trek to the opposite side of Night. In fact, it shouldn't have been possible for one as inexperienced as you to perform the soul projection, and if not for her assistance, you would have been surely destroyed or worse, registered on Creation's sky as a meteor falling, burning in its folly. For hours, she scolded you, threatened with all kinds censure, reminded you of all the lessons of hers you did not heed, and promised that with an attitude like that you could never find your way to the Celestial Circle as it required more than talent: it required wisdom. All through her lecture, you laughed, and laughed, and when she finally demanded to know what set you in such a good mood, and if your mind was still there, you asked to be brought to the training grounds of the Ivy Manse of Secrets. There, you picked up your ritual sword, and cut a path for the essence of sky to animate the earth and bring forth the Magma Kraken.
Once the fire had been put out, you explained to your slack-jawed teacher that she was absolutely right that you could never find a way back from the night's other kingdom by yourself. But you figured that if someone else brought you back, you could maybe pilfer enough secrets from behind the stars to initiate yourself into the Celestial Circle ahead of the usual schedule.
She called you a prodigy, a moron, and a woman who would sorely regret the next decade of her life, but at least your next assigned taught you how to love the parts of Creation that are least amicable to human life, and how to practice on your own terms, and without anyone to scold you when things go wrong.
Peaks and Valleys (Complete)
You have taken so many shortcuts on your path to power that it is frankly surprising you have not gotten yourself killed on it just yet, though not for the lack of trying. On the other hand, the fact that your absurdly unwise strategies in the pursuit of cosmic power and sorcerous supremacy have actually borne out results attests either to an Incarna-offending luck, or once-in-a-generation type of talent. Take your pick, and your power trip.
Occult +2 (An actual prodigy)
Navigate +1 (Chased through the sky)
Integrity -1 (Learned all the wrong lessons)
Special: Your sorcery is more powerful and less predictable than it would otherwise be.
Emptying the Holds
You have suffered what should be a mortal blow, and somehow managed to shrug it off. This is troubling, because usually people don't live through being killed this thoroughly, and yet here we are. There is a number of questions this invites, starting with "am I dead sure I'm still alive?", then going through "how was that even possible?" and "maybe this is just a hallucination of a dying mind?", and ending with "what if I am, for all intents and purposes, absolutely unkillable by normal means?" You get a feel that the answers may come in handy.
Medicine -2 (Infuriating violation of the laws of physique)
Fortitude +2 (Built different)
24 hours.
Those Violet Sorrows
You are on a first-name basis with your Death, or at least it feels that way. She also calls you a "sister", and you find it difficult not to see her with the kind of sympathy usually restricted only to the closest kin. This is unfortunate because, unless she was particularly dishonest with you, she is nothing but a metaphor, which means that your kindness is wasted on her. Still, there may be some use in trying to find out how, exactly, you two became so very familiar, and familial.
Embassy +1 (I see Death as people)
12 hours.
Most Deceitful Star
The Crow represents the end of illusions and dreams. It is inevitability and the recognition thereof. Among all the stars that could shine on you, this constellation in particular casts a light of bare truth and unquestionable honesty. You are not on the best terms with the Crow, and are in fact convinced that he is full of shit and trying to lie to you. Setting aside the concerning tendency to anthropomorphize and hold conversations with celestial bodies, there is an interesting question to be asked about your frustrations with concepts such as "impossibility," and "recognition of one's limits".
Occult +1 ('Impossible' is just a word)
Presence -1 (Somewhat unreasonable)
12 hours.
Trouble at the House of Serenity
Your relationship with the House of Serenity, also known as the Cerulean Lute of Harmony, can best be described as somewhat vexed. You have received the blessings of Venus wrong. Your desire exists under the sign of Jupiter. When it comes to love, your stars take on an Abyssal aspect. You are rapidly running out of ideas for good metaphors for all of your many psycho-sexual hang-ups. Seek help.
Integrity -1 (Thoroughly compromised)
Occult +1 (Rampant sublimation)
24 hours.
You are currently thinking of Peaks and Valleys (Complete) and Emptying the Holds. You can swap out your thoughts when you sleep.
You have taken so many shortcuts on your path to power that it is frankly surprising you have not gotten yourself killed on it just yet, though not for the lack of trying. On the other hand, the fact that your absurdly unwise strategies in the pursuit of cosmic power and sorcerous supremacy have actually borne out results attests either to an Incarna-offending luck, or once-in-a-generation type of talent. Take your pick, and your power trip.
Occult +2 (An actual prodigy)
Navigate +1 (Chased through the sky)
Integrity -1 (Learned all the wrong lessons)
Special: Your sorcery is more powerful and less predictable than it would otherwise be.
Emptying the Holds
You have suffered what should be a mortal blow, and somehow managed to shrug it off. This is troubling, because usually people don't live through being killed this thoroughly, and yet here we are. There is a number of questions this invites, starting with "am I dead sure I'm still alive?", then going through "how was that even possible?" and "maybe this is just a hallucination of a dying mind?", and ending with "what if I am, for all intents and purposes, absolutely unkillable by normal means?" You get a feel that the answers may come in handy.
Medicine -2 (Infuriating violation of the laws of physique)
Fortitude +2 (Built different)
24 hours.
Those Violet Sorrows
You are on a first-name basis with your Death, or at least it feels that way. She also calls you a "sister", and you find it difficult not to see her with the kind of sympathy usually restricted only to the closest kin. This is unfortunate because, unless she was particularly dishonest with you, she is nothing but a metaphor, which means that your kindness is wasted on her. Still, there may be some use in trying to find out how, exactly, you two became so very familiar, and familial.
Embassy +1 (I see Death as people)
12 hours.
Most Deceitful Star
The Crow represents the end of illusions and dreams. It is inevitability and the recognition thereof. Among all the stars that could shine on you, this constellation in particular casts a light of bare truth and unquestionable honesty. You are not on the best terms with the Crow, and are in fact convinced that he is full of shit and trying to lie to you. Setting aside the concerning tendency to anthropomorphize and hold conversations with celestial bodies, there is an interesting question to be asked about your frustrations with concepts such as "impossibility," and "recognition of one's limits".
Occult +1 ('Impossible' is just a word)
Presence -1 (Somewhat unreasonable)
12 hours.
Trouble at the House of Serenity
Your relationship with the House of Serenity, also known as the Cerulean Lute of Harmony, can best be described as somewhat vexed. You have received the blessings of Venus wrong. Your desire exists under the sign of Jupiter. When it comes to love, your stars take on an Abyssal aspect. You are rapidly running out of ideas for good metaphors for all of your many psycho-sexual hang-ups. Seek help.
Integrity -1 (Thoroughly compromised)
Occult +1 (Rampant sublimation)
24 hours.
You are currently thinking of Peaks and Valleys (Complete) and Emptying the Holds. You can swap out your thoughts when you sleep.
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