MOE'S BBS files FILES read hermetic HERMETIC--(xx mp) Description of Chinese hermetic tradition FILES d Which method? ('?' for options) x Archive download commencing. Type 'Ctri-C' twice to abort... [Greetings, all. Just downloaded this little gem from an obscure BBS down around Dayton way, and thought it would make y'all's day a little brighter. Feel free to comment, but mess with the text and MOE will wrek y'all's dek. Happy perusal!] This Spacer For Rent, SYSOP (06:37:49 / 10-2455) Just read this thing-what the frag is it an entry from the Encyclopedia Terra? Seems to h6ve some portions missing, too. Arry explanation?] Tethys (10:01:52 / 10-25-55) [For all I know, It could very well be... or have been... And It was downloaded as you see it here, except, as always, for the many and sundry comments.] This Spacer For Rent (11:10:38 / 1G-25-55) Chinese hermetic magic, or 'mo shu,' as it is referred to by native Chinese, is a system of magic similar in some ways to the Greek-based form practiced by most mages in the Western hemisphere. First of all, both involve conjuration of entities known as 'elementals.' However, in Oriental magic the number of elementals is five, not four, which are as follows: fire, earth, water, metal and wood. Air is not included. Second, both use and cast spells in virtually the same way. However, the system of initiation is more strictly regimented in Asian magic, due to the form's apparent origin in the highly organized monastic orders that exist in China (including the Shaolin, Taoist and Bud, dhist orders.) As such, it is an almost unknown phenomenon in western nations. The origin of the Chinese hermetic magic is almost completely shrouded in mystery, but by 2049, first word of this new form had come out of the Henan province's Shaolin monastery, where the largest organization of 'mo shu shi' or 'magicians' is based. These magicians seemed to have formed as an outgrowth of the gongfu tradition, using their abilities to purge evil and give aid to those in need. Like the fighting Shaolin priests, they are pacifists, spending most of their time either in meditation or practice. In other monas, teries, the situation seems to differ little. In fact, it is curious that Oriental magic would be nearly identical at all three main brotherhoods, even though these orders would be separated by hundreds of miles and a tradition of seclusion. [Not really. I heard that the orders were all visited by a free spirit, and It taught magic to those with the abilIty, according to Chinese thinking, rather than western, and this was the result.]< --Corky (00:21:11 / 10-25-55) [Funny, I heard the same thing, but instead of a free spirit, it was an Oriental dragon named Hwo Lung who made the visits... ] Cat Among The Pigeons (01:57:06 / 10-25-55) [You're both wrong.] Huang Lang (02:18:42 / 10-25-55) [Oh, really? Elucidate, if you please.] Cat Among The Pigeons (02:19:27 / 10-25-55) [I have no idea how familiar you are with Chinese history or antique trid shows, but it is a tradition at Shaolin that after a certain period of study, a pupil is sent out Into the world with little more than a razor, the clothes on his back and a simple mess kit to travel the country. One such traveller was capable of magic. She lived in seclusion for a while, training herself and developing her own ideas, then resumed her journey, visiting many places, including the aforementioned monasteries. From there, the whole thing mushroomed.] Huang Lang (02:25:58 / 10-25-55) [A woman was the creator of this? I thought that monastic brotherhoods were just that-brotherhoods. Just how do you know all of this?] --Corky (02:26:33 / 10-25-55) [Maybe once, Cork, but not anymore. Women can shave their heads and jump around just as well as men-fortunately, mine grew back. I was with the Shaolin for more than five years for my training as a magician, and believe me, they aren't given to Idle boasting (or any boasting at all.)] Huang Lang (02:31:41 / 10-25-55) [You sound like you're no longer with them. Any reason why?]< Tethys (02:33:45 / 10-25-55) [I'd rather not talk about that.] Huang Lang (02:34:19 / 10-25-55) After 2049, the various brotherhoods formed a loose confederation, maintaining autonomy but collaborating in the training of Chinese hermetics. Known for their altruism, they were easily the most vital part of the rescue effort in the Nanking earthquake of 2051. Nevertheless, Chinese hermetic magic is distinctive in that the conjuration of elementals is not possible until the mage has initiated at least once. With the first initiation, or level 0, the mage can conjure only a wood elemental. After the second initiation, the mage is able to conjure a metal elemental and a Great wood elemental. The initiations follow this form, through water, earth and fire, up to the sixth, or level 5, after which the mage is capable of conjuring a Great Form fire elemental. There are no known practitioners of Chinese hermetic magic beyond level 5. It is unknown as to whether this is an arbitrary stopping point, or if the mages are simply incapable of continuing. Well, what does our resident expert say about this, Huang? You seem to have all the answers.] Skinwalker (02:40:54 / 10-25-55) Honestly, I don't know. But I would have to say that it is probably limited In some way, since all of the highest ranking mo shu shi that I knew were fifth level. However, the text of this article makes It sound like the mages are the ones who are limited in some way, incapable of continuing. Once the fifth level Is reached, the mo shu shi tend to concentrate on expanding magical knowledge, concentrating often In spells, or spell design. I knew one mo shu shi, an elderly gent, who spent his entire stay at the monastery studying manipulations of various kinds, I think it was a quest of his or something.] Huang Lang (02:46:33 / 10-25-55) [I just scanned that new Denver rag, and it mentioned something about Triads having 'weird' magic. Is this it?] Mayday (02:47:08 / 10-25-55) [Nope. Don't know what It is, but I'm pretty sure this ain't it. The only way to get training in this Is to go to the monasteries. The monks would never accept anyone from an organized crime group, and those of us who would, ahem, leave are either untrained or are pacifistic in nature, and would slit our own legs open along the arteries before we would dishonor ourselves in such a way.] Huang Lang (02:58:01 / 10-25-55) [Huang Lang-that means 'yellow wolf,' doesn't it?] Akea Klme (03:00:22 110-25-56) [Yes, It does, Akea. She got the name because when she casts a spell, her eyes glow yellow., Pretty spooky, if you ask me.) He! Mau (03:03:47 / 10-25-55) [You keep out of this, HeL For one thing, you're pretty spooky yourself, with that black cat shamanic mask of yours. For another thing, you've said yourself you don't know drek about this.] Huang Lang (03:05:31 / 10-25-55) [Touchy, touchy. Keep this up, Huang, and no more lunches my treat at Rusty's. I'm trying to find out about this stuff, since you are usually so closemouthed.] Hei Mau (03:08:39 / 10-25-55) Interaction of these elements is curious, certainly more complicated than Occiden, tal elementals. Instead of the lateral 'fire = water' and 'earth = air' vulnerabilities, each elemental is vulnerable to two other elements. For example, wood is vulnerable to both metal and fire. These vulnerabilities are listed below in the description of each respective elemental. [Wow, that kind of makes sense. I mean, metal axes chop down tress, and fire bums them down. It's kind of Ike a big game of Paper, Scissors, Rock, huh?j Judge Doom (03: 10-25-55) [That's as good an analogy as any I've ever heard] Huang Lang (03:18:28 / 10-25-55) It is also curious to note that earth elementals, which are vulnerable to wood and metal, are also vulnerable to Western air elementals. [While this is true, it is certainly not to the same extent. On average, earth elementals conjured by Chinese hermetles are not as seriously injured by air elementals as are their Western counterparts.] Huang Lang (03:22:17 / 10-25-55) Like Western elementals, these spirits may aid in the casting or sustaining of spells of and appropriate type: fire aids combat spells; metal, detection; wood, health; earth, manipulation; and water, illusion. [Wait a minute, let me clean the grease out of my jack. Did this thing say that there are wood elementals that help with healing spells?] Tethys (03:27:12 / 10-25-55) [You scan correctly. In fact, that is the first type of elemental you would learn to conjure, were you a mo shu shi.] Huang Lang (03:34:19 / 10-25-55) Conjuration of these elementals is not as time consuming as it is for Western hermetics. For a typical force two elemental of any type, conjuration time ranges from one to six minutes; for Great Form elementals, roughly three to twenty minutes. While not as quick as a typical shamanic conjuration, this is a substantial decrease in time. [It has come in handy, too. Not that I don't appreciate my own spirits, but the elementals are quite useful.] Hei Mau (03:39:57 / 10-25-55) As stated previously, initiation is necessary in order to conjure elementals at all. When beginning, only watchers are able to be summoned. With the first initiation, wood elementals can be summoned, and the metaplanes are opened for all subsequent initiations. Each future initiation requires an astral quest, but only to the metaplane of the elemental acquired with the previous initiation. Like other forms of initiation, though, the mage gains access to metamagic after the first. [Just curious, Huang-what level are you?] Akea Kime (03:49:36 / 10-25-55) [Oh, the temerity! Asking a mage about her initiation level is like asking about her age ... particularly an elf.] --Hei Mau (03:51:44 / 10-25-55) [Jeez, Hei, just tell everyone, why don't you? I thought you Cat types were supposed to be hoarders of secrets.] Huang Lang (03:53:22 / 10-25-55) [We are, we are-but we also like to play games.] Hei Mau (03:54:04 / 10-25-55) [Both of you knock it off, or else. I know where the both of you live, and I fix those tortoises of yours, too. Wouldn't take much ... ] This Spacer For Rent, SYSOP (03:56:33 / 10-25-55) Material components for these conjurations are inexpensive substance-wise -- simple chunks of iron pyrite, dirt, or sheets of flash paper with symbols written on them but the amount of time and effort that goes into producing them properly leads to a price nearly commensurate with western components. Due to the prices and the extreme rarity of those willing to sell conjuring components, most hermetics are taught to produce their own. [This is it? What happened to the rest?] Tethys (04:01:17 / 10-25-55) [Looks like it, Teth. It's almost like notes for an encyclopedia entry. I checked the BBS where Spacer found this, and it seems to have come from a Certain paper manufacturer down Dayton way, the same one that prints the Encyclopedia Terra. Somehow, it made it's way into the BBS. First time I've ever heard of this though, but I looked at the new encyclopedia, and apparently this entry didn't make it. It looks pretty sparse, I know, which is probably why it was rejected. Considering the current state of China, though, its surprising that the researcher got even this much. It is indeed fortunate that we seem to have an expert online, though. So, Huang, what's the deal with the components?] Parsifal (04:05:18 / 10-25-55) [Whoever wrote this wasn't kidding. In order to buy the components pre-made, you must (1) be a Chinese hermetic, (2) know another Chinese hermetic (no mean feat here in UCAS) who is willing to sell components, or (2a) still be on amicable terms with the Chinese 'government,' so they will allow the package out of the country, if you can convince a hermetic there to make them, (3) be willing to wait a month or more, and (4) being independently wealthy doesn't hurt, either. It takes most of a weekend to produce just one unit, so forget about bulk orders. Of course, none of you will ever have to worry about this. What I'm saying is, it's just easier and less of a hassle to do it yourself.] Huang Lang (04:10:53 / 10-25-55) [Why does it take so long? The writer makes it sound like you could just pick up a clot of dirt or a stick out of your yard and use it.] Corky (04:12:19 / 10-25-55) [I can--and often have--just picked up stuff out of my yard to use as components, but I can't just pick it up off the ground and stick it in my pocket to use later. There's a whole system of ritual involved, including meditation, chanting, symbolic cleansing and the like--I won't go into particulars here, because each case is different. For example, last weekend I holed myself up for two days and did nothing but make a component. You, see, it isn't a system in which you buy a certain number of units to eventually summon an elemental of a specific size. It's more like going through the summoning process when making the materials, then actually summoning the spirit at a later time. Boy, I hope you understood that.] Huang Lang (04:19:18 / 10-25-55) [It sounds like a genie in the bottle sort of thing, and very personal, too. No wonder it's hard to find someone willing to sell components.] Klite (04:21:57 / 10-25-55) [Almost, but not quite, Klite. It's rather hard to explain, and even harder to experience without at least being a magician of some type. But yes, when someone puts that much effort into making it, if they sell it at all, it is with the greatest reluctance. The component becomes a link between the physical world and the spirit. Think of it as selling your power focus, or your medicine lodge. That's how your average (?) Chinese hermetic feels about selling his or her components. Anyway, we were all taught how to create the appropriate components at each level of initiation, depending on what elementals we were learning to summon. Since I never made it to fourth level, though, I haven't the faintest idea how to create components for fire elementals, or great form earth. And yes, there is a difference.] Huang Lang (04:29:26 / 10-25-55) [I just came back from China (don't ask) and I saw that there was instituted a system of sashes for each level of initiation. What do you know about this?] Parsifal (04:32:28 / 10-25-55) [Nothing, Pars. Sounds kincla artificial to me. Maybe it's something instituted by local warlords to be able to tell at a glance what level the mage is. I don't know that any of the monasteries would go with it, though. As I said, it's too artificial. They aren't really that obsessed with keeping track.] Huang Lang (04:35:13 / 10-25-55) [I've heard whispers about the sashes. It's said that the remnants of the Chinese government are training their own hermetics. The sashes are like rank indicators, colonels, captains, and such,] Klite (04:37:32 / 10-25-55) [Shenme?!?! I hope you're farcing, Klite. The brotherhoods worked hard to make sure that the government couldn't get their hands on this.] Huang Lang (04:40:09 / 10-25-55) [Maybe they didn't get it from them. You said that this form was developed by a female Shaolin. Maybe they developed this themselves.] Skinwalker (04:43:46 / 10-25-55) [Oh, boy.] Huang Lang (04:44:38 / 10-25-55) More Chinese Hermetic Magic Introduction Rules - So You Want To Be A Chinese Hermetic... The Care and Feeding of Oriental Elementals Back to Shadis #20 Table of Contents Back to Shadis List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1995 by Alderac Entertainment Group This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com