Philosophy by Numbers
Factor Bairinal Qu’thuol, elven barkeep-philosopher, to a curious berk, overheard and recorded for posterity on Voilà!’s mimir…
In beginning this discussion I find it necessary to remind you that the nature of the Multiverse is to test the individual, not a berk’s ideals or his faction; well, not directly anyway. So, as I continue please don’t feel I am attacking any group or gathering in specific, but rather the perceptions of the individuals involved within those groups. Got it? This brings us to the first point of my chant, the concept of individuality.
As you know the Believers state that all creation and all consciousness radiates from one Source. Where or when that Source is located is purely academic, but that Source is the key. Each individual is a raw stone hurled out from the source to reach its potential. This potential is reached through the stone’s soaring path, its progression, like a rolling pebble being shaped as it tumbles on the seashore. Progression is the point of the multiverse we currently inhabit.
A Bleaker might state that it’s all pointless, meaningless. That sod has merely strayed from the pattern. Birth is no more that the culmination of Death — any petitioner is good proof of this. Life is, of course, the side effect of Birth — as evident to all of us. Death then nothing more then the end of Life’s path — as even the philosophically limited Dustmen state. This pattern is the way of things, no part more dark or important but each phase and cycle bringing new development to the same individuals from green jellies and stirges to Powers and Fiends. Other berks, barmies, and factions might argue against this.
As to their disagreements I say let us examine their own philosophies, shall we? It will become evident through our discourse that these other Factions are nothing more that distorted views or fragmentary aspects of the chant we’ve told as truth for ages. For you see, the source provided all things in creation, even thought itself. There for thought itself mimics the pattern of progress. And you’ll see cutter, no one really ever gets too far from the truth, or Source if you will.
Firstly, we will take the Athar, while well meaning and driven Terrance and his disciples are merely obsessing over that the fact that indeed the powers are not the end all or be all of authority or power in the planes. While this is totally true they miss the simple fact that the powers are still much further than most any of us are along the ladder. That the powers ain’t almighty becomes all that matters to them, and they lose sight of what they are really seeing, where powers truly are. Indeed the phase of being a power is a shining way-station which to aspire to, not a position to mock, tear down, or scoff at.
Next, I will point to the Xaositects. These cutters feel that all order must break, that randomness is the key to perfection. Again merely a distorted note of the pattern, of course randomness is key to perfection! “Randomness” yields growth experiences that force our own inner divinity to blossom and engulf us. I would assert that chaos is no more than the Source, something so beyond us could easily appear “random” at its most direct. It is merely providing us exactly the situations in which we can choose to better ourselves.
Speaking of self-betterment, only an addle-cove can’t make the connection that the Takers are merely berks who’ve become caught up in the gaining part of progression. Much like the Sensates are given over to glutton in the experience part of progression. These two are nearly tragic in the near-miss passions they have, if they’d only stop and grow from it all, they could leap bounds and bounds ahead.
The Bleak Cabal has reversed the problem, realising the importance of the self without acquiescing that the Forge of the multiverse is acting upon them. Succumbing to the Grim Retreat into mental oblivion becomes their only option. This is no surprise. When one’s Forge is the Void, then one can only produce nothingness.
Nothingness. Entropy. Death. The End. Such is the misguided focus of the short-sighted sods in both the Doomguard and the Dustmen. This is so ironic because both of these factions are, essentially, agreeing with our own. The Sinkers assert that the Great Ring must collapse, that all things must succumb to the force of entropy and enter oblivion. This is entirely correct all things must die, of course this is only to be reborn again but the notion holds true for everything making the Doomguard quite correct.
The Dustmen on the other hand; why is it that sometimes someone has to read the book backward? A faction that assert that all things are dead. Its almost silly to argue it, we are clearly very much alive in a physical sense, after all. I for instance, was once a halfling before I was born as the elf sitting before you now. That halfling I once was did in fact die, and therefore I am quite dead in a sense. To focus on this though, I mean really! Then to add upon in the concept of being “more dead”!? When will the sods come to focus and realised all the are doing in becoming “more dead” is moving on to a new life? Indeed “more” anything indicates a progress, again entirely in agreement.
Also in agreement, though slightly varying in the nature of that agreement is the Triad of Law; the Guvners, the Harmonium, and the Mercykillers. Why would I state that they too agree with the Believers? I’m glad you’d ask. All three of these factions focus on and orderly and attainable perfect goal. For the Fraternity of Order it is Law. The Harmonium espouses Peace. Justice is the aim of the Mercykillers. All three goals are set as attainable. Attainable goals to progress towards. Progression as we’ve already discovered, is the reason for it all. Much like the other factions already mentioned these three merely fail to apply the very perfection they seek to the entirety of life as opposed to the singularity of the views.
And while on the topic of singular views the Sign of One does spring to mind. The Signers too merely represent the same focus as our faction, if with a touch of egomania and self-obsession. These sods are really just Believers caught in the revelation of their own inner divinity. Caught up in such potential they hardly even try to realise any bit of it.
Similarity the Ciphers don’t realise at all, or try not to. Their “Cadence” isn’t really more that the developmental energies of the Source rippling through the multiverse and across the Great Ring. The sadness is that the Transcendents don’t realise how close they are. They’re touching the sodding Source and then refusing to think upon its grandeur? Mind me saying it cutter, but they are blowing the best ladder-rung handed to them yet. All that focus and no direction.
I could go on but I think you’re getting the dark of it. Despite their chants otherwise everyone rides on the Wheel of Progress, everyone evolves in the Forge of Existence, and everyone climbs the ladder of Divinity. You might slip and fall a rung, maybe two, but keep at it because the light at the end, well Saints and Proxies berk — even the Powers dream of it.
Source: Christen Sowards
