Post by Tami on Oct 21, 2007 14:05:14 GMT -5
It is the act of Awakening that opens the doors of perception through which the new mage peers at the magical world. The mage looks at the world with new eyes — eyes no longer clouded by sleep- New truths about the nature of reality are revealed to her, while long-held preconceptions shatter. The newly Awakened mage struggles to make sense of this barrage of new sensations. Those without a strong sense of self and a powerful will sometimes remain overwhelmed by these impressions, unable to decipher or control them. In a world where reality is shaped by perception, who can determine whether an individual is insane or simply seeing a different cosmos?
Awakenings can happen at any time in life. There's no single moment of crisis where every individual goes through a question of magic; the eye-opening may strike in childhood, youth, adulthood or elder age. The majority of mages trace their first moments to the experiences of their early adult life. Awakenings seldom occur in childhood, though it does happen occasionally. Parents satisfy the needs of most children abundantly, leaving them so comfortable with the status quo that they don't have the impetus necessary to Awaken. Awakenings are similarly uncommon among the elderly. Older people, unlike some of the more youthful members of society, have usually discovered something in life on which to focus their attention. Whether it is building a career, raising a family or even drinking themselves numb, they have found some function in life that makes them feel complete and binds them forever to static reality's comforting familiarity in the process. Even those withou such sense of purpose have already discovered a comfortable, familiar niche from which they have little reason to explore. Young adulthood, however, is the time in a person's life where he begins searching for the purpose and meaning to his life. In rare instances, this search leads the seeker to Awaken.
Awakenings are typically triggered by traumatic, life-altering events, although there are exceptions. The Awakening often coincides with a need on the mage’s part, often a drive to overcome some problem insurmountable through conventional means. When the chips are down and there is nowhere else to run, the mage rises to the challenge, stirring his fitfully slumbering Avatar to wakefulness and empowering himself. Even if the nascent mage denies this power, her new awareness shapes the universe to her will, sometimes with drastic and unpredictable effects. Of course, many mages would dearly love to discover a means of reliably Awakening others, but no such method is known. Would-be mentors keep a close watch on people with strong wills and unusual lives, while erudite magicians try to teach their ways to hopeful novices. None are guaranteed this Awakening. Enlightenment strikes where it will.
Once a mage Awakens, there is no going back to sleep. The truth of reality's subjectivity is laid bare, and the neophyte mage has no choice but to struggle forward in an attempt to understand what's happened. Although he may want to return to his old way of life, events conspire to make that course of action impossible. Family and friends both will notice a change in the budding mage. These people may well slumber, but they are far from dead. The mage's newfound Avatar and awarenes positively radiate "otherness" to those most familiar with the Sleeper he once was, as the two conspire subtly to alter reality at the mage's subconscious urging. Though he may be able to salvage some of these relationships, Awakening will invariably cost the mage most human contact, as even old friends find it disturbing and dangerous to be associated with him. Even complete strangers tend to give this "weirdo" a wide berth. The caress of magic, even when not readily visible, leaves it distinct mark on the magician. Humans instinctively notice and fear this aura, so a mage must either be careful to hide his magic very well or turn to other mages for companionship.
While daunting, the problems of alienation and uncontrolled power are merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg. He soon comes to realize that there is much more to the world than he ever imagined. Spirits, werewolves, vampires, sorcerers and more become not only things whose existence he must acknowledge but, often, thing with which he must talk, fight and, on occasion, ally with. His very existence leads to him being courted by a myriad of Tradition factions, all starved for allies. The Technocracy will want to either assimilate the mage or eliminate him. The responsibilities intrinsic to being one of those on the front lines, protecting an unknowing world from dangerous reality deviants, leaves room for no other options. Everybody wants a piece of the magic, and the novice mage may not even know what it is. The only option is to change or die. If he's going to survive, a new mage must learn what he is and what he is capable of. Others, a mentor or cabal perhaps, may show the newly Awakened mage the path that he must take, but it's up to him to take the first step. Only by accepting his new state will the mage be able to progress toward enlightenment and Ascension. (More detailed information on Awakening may be found in Initiates of the Art.)
Awakenings can happen at any time in life. There's no single moment of crisis where every individual goes through a question of magic; the eye-opening may strike in childhood, youth, adulthood or elder age. The majority of mages trace their first moments to the experiences of their early adult life. Awakenings seldom occur in childhood, though it does happen occasionally. Parents satisfy the needs of most children abundantly, leaving them so comfortable with the status quo that they don't have the impetus necessary to Awaken. Awakenings are similarly uncommon among the elderly. Older people, unlike some of the more youthful members of society, have usually discovered something in life on which to focus their attention. Whether it is building a career, raising a family or even drinking themselves numb, they have found some function in life that makes them feel complete and binds them forever to static reality's comforting familiarity in the process. Even those withou such sense of purpose have already discovered a comfortable, familiar niche from which they have little reason to explore. Young adulthood, however, is the time in a person's life where he begins searching for the purpose and meaning to his life. In rare instances, this search leads the seeker to Awaken.
Awakenings are typically triggered by traumatic, life-altering events, although there are exceptions. The Awakening often coincides with a need on the mage’s part, often a drive to overcome some problem insurmountable through conventional means. When the chips are down and there is nowhere else to run, the mage rises to the challenge, stirring his fitfully slumbering Avatar to wakefulness and empowering himself. Even if the nascent mage denies this power, her new awareness shapes the universe to her will, sometimes with drastic and unpredictable effects. Of course, many mages would dearly love to discover a means of reliably Awakening others, but no such method is known. Would-be mentors keep a close watch on people with strong wills and unusual lives, while erudite magicians try to teach their ways to hopeful novices. None are guaranteed this Awakening. Enlightenment strikes where it will.
Once a mage Awakens, there is no going back to sleep. The truth of reality's subjectivity is laid bare, and the neophyte mage has no choice but to struggle forward in an attempt to understand what's happened. Although he may want to return to his old way of life, events conspire to make that course of action impossible. Family and friends both will notice a change in the budding mage. These people may well slumber, but they are far from dead. The mage's newfound Avatar and awarenes positively radiate "otherness" to those most familiar with the Sleeper he once was, as the two conspire subtly to alter reality at the mage's subconscious urging. Though he may be able to salvage some of these relationships, Awakening will invariably cost the mage most human contact, as even old friends find it disturbing and dangerous to be associated with him. Even complete strangers tend to give this "weirdo" a wide berth. The caress of magic, even when not readily visible, leaves it distinct mark on the magician. Humans instinctively notice and fear this aura, so a mage must either be careful to hide his magic very well or turn to other mages for companionship.
While daunting, the problems of alienation and uncontrolled power are merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg. He soon comes to realize that there is much more to the world than he ever imagined. Spirits, werewolves, vampires, sorcerers and more become not only things whose existence he must acknowledge but, often, thing with which he must talk, fight and, on occasion, ally with. His very existence leads to him being courted by a myriad of Tradition factions, all starved for allies. The Technocracy will want to either assimilate the mage or eliminate him. The responsibilities intrinsic to being one of those on the front lines, protecting an unknowing world from dangerous reality deviants, leaves room for no other options. Everybody wants a piece of the magic, and the novice mage may not even know what it is. The only option is to change or die. If he's going to survive, a new mage must learn what he is and what he is capable of. Others, a mentor or cabal perhaps, may show the newly Awakened mage the path that he must take, but it's up to him to take the first step. Only by accepting his new state will the mage be able to progress toward enlightenment and Ascension. (More detailed information on Awakening may be found in Initiates of the Art.)