CARTOGRAPHERS

By Mark VanderMeulen (Z917200@wpo.cso.niu.edu)

Paradigm: Choice

Every day we make choices. Every moment we choose a path to follow, and by setting one foot upon that path other paths are closed to us, and new ones open up. The trick to life is to be aware of the choices that you are making, every second of the day. The universe is not truly composed of three or four dimensions, but of infinite dimensions, allowing infinite choice to those who know how to choose.

When they are born, humans have the ability to make only a few kinds of choices. As they grow, they learn how to make many more. Most sleepers, however, stop searching for new choices to make, and even forget some of the choices they were able to make when they were children. Instead they are satisfied with a limited amount of choice which they are familiar with, and which make sense to them.

The tradition connects its history back to the ancient Phoenecians, who became traders and world travelers, and discovered an interesting phenomena: education and the experience of different cultures opened one up to thoughts, experiences, choices that one had never even considered before. They began to look closely at the concept of choice, and to map out, in the same way their trade route maps did, what the effects were of making certain choices. They also sought out these new experiences, in hopes that it would help them to expand their minds, and lead them to make new and unique choices.

Members of this group tend to be wanderers, sailors, and mathematicians. Their view of the universe causes them to see the universe in terms of a strange landscape or ocean to navigate through, or a mathematical space of infinite dimensionality, and they learn to "move around" in it by experimenting and writing out the results in the form of a map. This is the group from which the Virtual Adepts were spawned, and so share the sphere of Prime and their major sphere.

Magick: Decision-making

Everyone knows how to make decisions about how to move in normal, three-dimensional space. The Cartographers, however, know that the universe is not limited to three or four dimensions, but in fact has infinite dimensions. Magick is fundamentally learning the ways to "move" down one of those other dimensions (to choose where along that dimension you wish to exist). The mage slowly picks up an understanding of the "axes" that define each dimension, and is able to move herself along one or a set of axes until she arrives at the "coordinates" she desires. The mage is also able, by extension, to "decide" for other persons or things where in infinite-dimensional space they will exist.

It is important to remember that the Mage isn't moving himself to another world where what he wants exists, but rather is making a decision about himself and about the things that describe him, in this world, and then changing those descriptors. Also, humans tend to rebound back into their "normal" state in the infinite-dimensional universe unless spending continuing attention to where they are. This is not a hard and fast rule, but a generalization.

Spheres

Correspondence: Movement

For a being who is learning to "move" in infinite-dimensional space, the vagarities of normal, three dimensional space are quite simple. The mage may simply "move" himself into a dimension where spatial distances are much smaller, take a single step, and then "move" back out into 3-space.

Entropy: The Cohesive Choice

Material existence in infinite-dimensional space may seem slightly strange to someone unused to it. One of the choices that any material thing makes is whether its component parts will remain together, or will disperse to be used in the forming of something else. Normal humans can do this by "convincing" the part to come apart by slamming it against something hard. This is called the Cohesive Choice, and is one of the choices that a Mage can make for another object by imposing his will.

Forces: The Active Choice

Material things can also choose to be in motion or to be still. This is the basic choice that gives rise to all the forces that we know in the ordinary world: the movement of electrons to produce electricity, the movement of photons to produce light. Normal humans know how to put an object into motion by throwing it. With the imposition of will, the Mage can learn to make the Active Choice for an object, or to change the dimensionality of a material object which is already moving.

Matter: The Static Choice

Material things also make the choice of what to be. Usually, material things are unable to make choices for themselves, and so tend to retain their current choice until it is changed for them. Normal humans know how to change the state of water from liquid to ice by cooling it. Mages can impose their will on such material things to make that choice.

Life: The Vessel

Things which are living are special types of material things which have at least some ability to make their own choices. Thus their normal state is to be moving, at least partially, through infinite-dimensional space. Thus, they can be compared to boats on an ocean. Simple life forms can only make very simple choices. It is only by possessing a true Mind that the full range of possibilities can open up.

Mind: The Navigator

Life can make rudimentary choices, but only a true mind can be creative, and realize choices which are not obvious to our admittedly limited normal sense perceptions.

Prime: Possibility

Things which can actuate themselves in the infinite-dimensional universe are composed of a kind of stuff for which decisions can be made. We call this stuff, out of which all real things are made, possiblity. It is possible to remove the possibility from an object, at which time all choices in it are set to naught, and the possibility gained can be used to make the choices for it which will bring something new into existence.

Spirit: The Unchosen

It seems that things, once chosen, cannot easily be unchosen. Humans have used their minds to believe in a great many things during their time in existence. When they believed them, they were real, but when they choose to disbelieve them, they didn't become unreal, but simply moved out of reach. We can search this wasteland of lost ideas to expand our minds with great benefit.

Time: The Voyage

In infinite-dimensional space, time is simply another dimension. The "normal" state along this axis is Active, and most of the time we are content to let that be. However, this seems to be an axis which is governed by strange laws. Material objects draw 'vectors' behind them along this dimension, and we can easily back track and view these imprints. However, the objective "now" seems to be a reality, beyond which we can predict only based on the movement of the vectors from the past, and these predictions rapidly become inacurrate.

Backgrounds

Arete: Perspective

A Mage slowly explores and understands a greater and greater portion of the infinite-dimensional space, and finds it easier and easier to correctly navigate in it.

Avatar: Conviction

This measures the Mage's faith in himself, and therefore his ability to "force" his decisions upon other material objects.

Paradox: Eddies/Unstable landscape

Infinite-dimensional space seems to have some of the properties of a strange fluid. Perhaps this is the "zeroed" Possibility that has been removed from material objects, and before it can be incorporated into something new. At any rate, movement too fast or too far or along too many axes seems to "stir it up" to the point where it can become dangerous, not least because it can overcome the Navigating Mind and impose its own decisions upon the Mage. Indeed, at times it seems to have a strange form of Mind itself.

Quintessence: Trapped Possibility

In order to store primal Possibility, at least a few of its axes must be set to non-zero coordinants, or else it escapes material form and is recycled. However, in this simple form it is very easy to make for it any choice the Mage wishes.

Arcane: Privacy

It's amazing how effective a mage can be a Choosing not to be bothered.

Destiny: Wind in your Sails

Some mages seem to be compelled into new ideas and choices. They may find very powerful news areas of the infinite-dimensional space, or change the current path of Consensual Reality (see below) in a new and powerful way.

Dream: Insight

Some mages have the ability to open themselves up to new parts of the infinite-dimensional universe and find areas to where they can move in order to get certain things done. [StoryTeller's note: some characters will try to say that they will move themselves to an area or infinite-dimensional space where they suddenly have a 5 in Firearms. Admit to them that this is possible, but that they haven't explored the right parts of infinite-dimensional space to get there.]

Node

Some material things which seem to be non-living nevertheless seem to impose a choice upon Possibility. In these areas primal (unincorporated) Possibility is given a few non-zero coordinates, which make it possible for a Mage to get a handle on it and use it for her own purposes.

Talisman

Certain areas of infinite-dimensional space are so handy, it pays to write them down so you can move yourself there in a hurry. One of the easiest ways to do this is to find a helpful spirit to memorize it for you, and then keep it where you can get a hold of it.

Foci

• Compass: Entropy, Forces, Matter.
• Map: Correspondence, Mind, Life.
• Sextant: Prime, Spirit, Time.

Consensual reality

Most humans are willing to make only the choices that their normal senses make obvious to them. When a large number a people do this, their single-minded directionality creates a tidal current in the fluid of the infinite-dimensional universe, which tends to keep them going in the same direction. This is the reason that mages tend to "rebound" back to normal states unless they continually pay attention to where they are on a particular axis. They get "drawn along" with the rest of humanity. This is also the reason why "crossing the current" brings up the eddies which form Paradox Spirits. Understandably, this is a source of irritation for the Cartographers. Ascension, they believe, will only occur when more people are made aware of the choices which they can make, and stop all moving in the same direction. Only then will all humanity have the ability to freely make all the choices that are open to them.

Stereotypes

The Traditions

Akashic Brotherhood: They seek inside themselves while we seek outside ourselves. Perhaps we search for the same things, but our way is much more interesting.

Ahl-i-Batin: Who? I've never met one.

Celestial Chorus: Too often they limit themselves by assuming that they already understand the One. If they would admit their ignorance and acknowledge that the One is infinitely complex and therefore unknowable, perhaps even by the oracles, they would begin their approach to the path of wisdom.

Cult of Ecstacy: They are at least open to new experiences, but unfortunately seldom in a state to learn very much from them.

Dreamspeakers: Renowned wanderers and seekers of the unknown, they are our brethren, if a bit too focused on the spirit world.

Euthanatos: They are too quick to snuff out a stale life. Better that sleepers be severed from the ties that bind them to one place and be given a chance to wander and experience more of life than to be robbed of that tiny bit which they possess.

Hollow Ones: Proof positive what remaining too long in a stifling environment will do to a once promising avatar. They should be taught the joys and enlightenment of the long road before they end up like this. Save them if you can, but many are like the withered tree: never again will it be able to stand straight.

Order of Hermes: How strange. They study the words and symbols on the map, but never go to the places which they describe. Experience is lost on those for whom the form has become all.

Sons of Ether: Intellectual development and scientific creation are both forms of journeying, but getting out of the lab now and then would do them all worlds of good.

Verbena: Life is just the vessel which carries the self on it journey. They may find power in their control of the vessel, but they have missed the point completely.

Virtual Adepts: Perhaps creating a virtual world can bring the enlightenment of experiencing the real one. What is more likely, however, is that they will just become lost in their own illusions.

The Technocracy

Due to their philosophy, Cartographers tend to avoid conflict unless it is conflict itself that they are interested in. Although they support the values of the Traditions, they tend not to become directly involved in the Ascension War. This is probably just as well, because their tendency to move on and avoid trouble rather than stand and face it means that few of them are very good at combat skills. Their strength, rather is in their knowledge and research, and they are highly respected for their Lore and understanding of the spheres. They make some of the best tutors for the tradition disciples, particularly in the Sphere of Correspondence, much preferred over the reclusive Virtual Adepts or the elusive Batini. However, potential students be warned: you will probably be asked to undertake a quest for your tutor or accompany her on a journey as a test before the request is granted. Indeed, many students find afterwards that the quest was itself part of the instruction.

Although they do not directly fight the Technomancers, they do work in their own way to undermine the power of the technocratic paradigm. They do this by interacting one-on-one with sleepers, encouraging vacations and trips to different parts of the world, and then arranging for unique and enlightening experiences to happen to them on the trip. Many powerful avatars are awakened in this way, and if not, then at least the sleeper has discovered that not all parts of the worlds are the same, and neither are all people. In some cases, the cartographer will go so far as to break every tie that holds a person in one place: a girlfriend may get the perfect job in a distant city, then the subject loses his own job, has his apartment robbed, then the building condemned, his bank closes in scandal. Just when it seems he has no options, a long lost aunt leaves him an estate in Madagascar, or a high school buddy offers him a job at the company branch in Paraguay, or Finland, or Thailand.

Werewolves

The Cartographers have long cultivated friendships with the Garou, who have a unique perspective which the mages find fascinating. It is not unheard of for a Cartographer and a Silent Strider to journey together for some time, or for a Cartographer to seek a renowned Stargazer. They tend to leave the more confrontational tribes alone, however. Due to this long association, their Tradition's Garou Lore is better than that of any other except the Dreamspeakers.

Vampires

Although they find it difficult to break the Masquerade, the Cartographers have been aware of the existence of the Kindred for some time, and have avidly collected Kindred Lore. Although they have sifted much of the fact from the fiction, their Lore is not yet as good as that Euthanatos. However, they find the Kindred perspective to be just as fascinating as the Garou, and all the more sweet for being rare. Occasionally a Cartographer has befriended or been befriended by a vampire, particularly those of the sect known as the Gangrel, which are the only type to take wanderering seriously. In addition, the kindred finds the mage to be a valuable companion when travelling the countryside.

Wraiths

Cartographers enjoy helping wraiths complete unfinished business in return for information on the afterlife, mostly to help the soul return to its next journey. However, although there are a few who are interested in the Shadowlands and wraiths, on the whole there is remarkable little interest in the dead. Most seem to view wraiths as somewhat tasteless, not knowing when to move on to the next stage on the journey, and consequently pay little attention to them. The living is more important for the living. Those who are interested in the dead and the Shadowlands are looked at as somewhat strange, but tolerated cheerfully.

New Skill: Cartography

All Cartographers write maps and understand maps with subtly. Although classically maps represent geographical areas, we now use them more so much more. We have maps of galaxies, maps of the human genome, maps of computer programs, maps of interpersonal relationships and politics, and many more. People with this skill can not only create accurate maps and successfully read and understand the maps of others, but also can understand the perspective and values of the author of the map. Every map is at least partly subjective, and so may not be entirely accurate, for the author can only portray the information which she has and believes in, and as always, belief can lead to the recording of things which aren't there, as well as to the skipping over of things simply not believed. In addition, choices must be made concerning what to include and what not to include even among the perfectable acceptable and believable data, because a map cannot hold everything. A good cartographers can sift the truth from the fiction, and occasionally even discover the truth that lies behind the fiction. Further, since all Cartographers record their magick in a cartographic way, a score of at least one in this skill is required to study from Cartographer Tomes or to use their renowned Umbral Maps.

Chantry: The Erraticus Rex

The Tradition has only one Chantry, not surprising for a group whose philosophy is to keep moving. It is called the Erraticus Rex which is Latin and translates roughly as "Wanderer King." The Chantry itself is a huge wooden sailing ship, which is generally found sailing the Great Oceanic Plane of the Shard Realm of Matter. However, due to a strange Correspondence/Spirit Rote worked into the very wood of the hull, it is able to "sail" through the Umbra to other places. This mobility has so far kept it safe from the Void Engineers.

The Ship itself is composed of three hulls, the main hull, only slightly smaller than the famous QE2, and smaller outrigger hulls, on the port and starboard sides (of course). The outrigger hulls include cargo holds as well as guest suites and classrooms, while the hull houses the Chantry members and their labs, as well as the famous Map Room. This room contains at least one copy of virtually every map that has been made by humans. In addition, there are maps made by the Cartographers themselves, including the famous Umbral Maps which are in great demand from members of the other traditions. Further, because the magickal writing of the Cartographers consists of maps, this room also functions as the arcane library. Remember that to intrepret this magickal writing or that of the Umbral Maps, the user must have at least one point in the cartography skill. This skill can be taught by any Cartographer.

The Map Room is a long room that runs along the center of the main hull, almost the entire length of the ship. Although most maps are printed on plastic/paper/parchment/papyrus, there are also a number of globes, starbowls, astrolabes, and even more curious 3-D maps. However, the most wondrous map of them all resides not in the Map Room, but in its own three storey tall room at the heart of the ship. This is the Grand Umbral Astrolabe, and it is a magickal talisman of great power, whose great Brass and wood epicycles and orbits chart out the movements of the various Umbral Realms in relation to one another, as well and pinpoint the location of the Chantry in the Umbra. This is a great aid to the Captain of the Chantry when he navigates the Chantry through the Umbra. The Grand Umbral Astrolabe is magickally set to "read" the umbra with Correspondence and Spirit magicks and then display what it finds using Matter and Forces. Naturally it is more accurate with the area close to the ship that with that on the opposite side of the Umbra, but it is able to chart the appearance and movement of unstable phenomenon such as Dream Realms and Paradox Realms. This may be valuable to characters seeking paradox-grabbed companions or mentors.

The Chantry is governed by its Captain, who has final authority in all things, and is the only member who always remains on board. The current Captain is a Master of both Correspondence and Spirit, and enjoys exploring the various parts of the Umbra. So while the Chantry is most often found in the Shard Realm of Matter, or in the Shard Realm of Correspondence for teaching purposes, it can potentially be found almost anywhere (including in the middle of what may appear in the spiritual topography as completely dry land). The Captain is the one who characters must see to apply for associate membership (and thus admission to the Map Room and the Grand Umbral Astrolabe). The Captain usually requires either a quest to prove their worth, or else a recounting of their travels and the enlightenment it has brought them, propounded as a public speech for the general benefit. Indeed, such talks, or Travellogues as they are called, are the social events of the Chantry. The Captain appoints three members of the Chantry to sit on a committee to determine the worth of the speaker. The affair is held in a Salon in the main hull set aside for just this purpose. They are usually followed (when the candidate is successful) by a party and banquet. The parties tends to run more toward ballroom dancing and storytelling than to loud music and drinking, but stranger things have happened. Besides, it is said that more lore is spilled at parties on the Erraticus Rex than beer at a Cultist rave.

The inhabitants of the Chantry, other than the mages, are all sentient creatures resembling waterbirds. There are gull deckhands, albatross lookouts, penguin hospitality staff, pelican chefs, osprey marines, and duck, loon, and tern library staff, many of which make excellent copies with their own loose quills.

The Chantry is supported by four nodes, which also serve as its primary portals. Each is located in extrememly out-of-the-way locations on earth, and require considerable travel by boat or on foot to reach. Each but the South Node has a powerful Guardian Spirit.

The North Node is located on a small island off Spittsbergen (look north of Iceland on a map). The node itself in is a cave on the island which is covered with carvings of runes which resemble ancient Icelandic, but which no one has been able to interpret. The node was discovered by a Cartographer member Capt. Henry Hudson. It is guarded by a spirit that resembles the yeti (abominable snowman) and carries a huge and intricately detailed battle axe).

The South Node is in a small, out-of-the-way resort on New Zealand's South Island called the Albatross Inn. The resort is owned by the tradition.

The East Node is located in the pool below a waterfall in the mountanous jungles of Thailand. To reach it the character must swim underwater and under the waterfall. This is not as dangerous as it might seem, because for those in the know there is a ledge to the side of the waterfall which can be climbed under and used to crawl under the waterfall, thus avoiding the dangerously violent water immediately below the fall. The passage still requires the ability to swim (under Athletics). Its Guardian resembles a giant crab.

The West Node is located in a small mountain glade in a remote part of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, USA. The closest building to the node is a small ranch owned by the tradition, but it is still a good day's hike from the ranch to reach the node. The Guardian resembles a great sabertoothed cat.