Chapter 2- Aftermath pt.2 Calm Before the Storm
"I don't know whether war is an interlude during peace, or peace an interlude during war."
- Georges Clemenceau
Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live.
- Marcus Aurelius
Ranma woke on the floor of the Tendo's guest room. Even after living here for the last year he still didn't consider it 'his' room. Still, it was the closest thing to a 'home' that he'd known since he was a small child.
He glanced over at the empty futon that would normally contain the sleeping form of his father. "Hmm... Guess the baka panda never came in last night. Probably passed out drunk somewhere with Mr. Tendo," Ranma thought bitterly. "Would serve them right after pulling a stunt like yesterday." Once again he let himself get lost in thought pondering the events of the previous day. He might not really understand what had happened to him following the fight with Saffron, but some things were clear enough to him, at least in hind sight.
Ranma closed his eyes and focused inward. Ever since waking up following the battle with Saffron it was like his Ki was locked away from him. It was still there, pulsing and throbbing, in time with the beat of his heart. He couldn't understand why he couldn't do anything with it. Before the battle he barely understood what his Ki was. Now he had a much better understanding. Knowledge had been imparted during his brief glimpse of eternity, and some of that larger understanding had remained. He was certain that he understood the principles and structure of Ki and Chi to a better degree than if he'd continued to study martial arts for decades to come. Ki was Chi. In a way at least. Opening his eyes he willed the only technique that he was sure would work, if only because for a week he'd had trouble getting it to go away. "Chi Sight," He thought wryly. "The old man would sell his soul for the ability to see the flow of Chi. Heck; he'd probably sell my soul for it." The flow of Chi surrounded him and existed within the patterns of everything around him. It seemed to coalesce into lines of force that ran like streams of water within the ground and air around him. He'd seen on their trek back from China that it seemed to pool and shift naturally and would build up in areas like Jyusenkyo and other so called mystic places.
Right now Ranma was more concerned with why he couldn't access his own Ki though. He could tell that his Ki was nothing but Chi that had flowed into his own Pattern and had come into resonance with it. He understood instinctively how his body, mind and personality shaped his pattern and how it would fill with Chi over time. He could see a difference between how his Ki had molded itself and that of his father and the other martial artists he knew. "My Ki is wilder than theirs. I wonder if that's because of this 'Awakening' that Nabiki talked about. All the Ki in Pops, Ryouga, and even Shampoo is calm. As if it's just an extension of the pattern that makes them who they are. Mine however..."
He concentrated on the ability he'd come to call Chi Sight, closing his eyes he let his mind trace the Ki that filled his own Pattern. "It's like it doesn't belong. Not like the others at least." His Ki seemed to resonate with his Pattern, while the Ki of the others was an extension of their Pattern. "Is that why my techniques won't work? Because my Ki isn't a part of my pattern anymore?" He let his mind wrap around that concept for a little while. It didn't seem quite right. The Chi that filled his pattern was still 'his' Ki; it was just that it seemed to fill him like water sitting in jar, while the image he got from the others was like Ice filling a bottle.
"My Ki is more fluid than theirs. Why can't I make it do anything then?" He said quietly to himself. So lost in thought was he, that he almost didn't notice the stream of cold water hitting him in the face. Almost.
"Hey whatdja go and do that for, ya uncute tomboy..." She sputtered as his body became hers.
"I'm hurt Ranma..." Nabiki said pouting, as she put the squirt gun back in her pocket. "Do you really think I'm uncute?"
"Ah... Nabiki, I thought you were Akane." Ranma replied. "Damnit, why'd ya have to splash me for anyway?" She stood up straightening out her black t-shirt, less angry and more confused. Unlike Akane, Nabiki rarely caused her to shift gender for no reason. Heck she rarely did 'anything' without a good reason.
"Your mother will be having breakfast out with her 'daughter" Nabiki said with a smirk. She was obviously amused over something. "So go get cleaned up and get ready. Oh and here, wear this; I'm pretty sure it'll fit."
She handed Ranma a green and black formal kimono; A girl's kimono. "Aww C'mon Nabs, I'm a guy. Mom knows I'm a guy. So why do I gotta wear something like this?"
Nabiki shrugged and pushed the kimono into the redhead's hands. "I don't know Ranma-kun. However, your mother said she would be having 'formal' breakfast with her 'daughter'," she said placing a slight emphasis on both formal and daughter. "So just go get cleaned up and changed and meet us downstairs. I could go dig out a nice pink dress for you if you'd rather wear something else. I'm certain that it would look lovely on you."
Ranma paled and quickly took the kimono from Nabiki, ignoring the smug look of satisfaction on the brunette's face. She didn't even look back as Nabiki called out from behind her, "And I told you to stop calling me Nabs!"
Breakfast had been a solemn affair. Ranma looked up at her mother as she drank her tea wondering if she was going to say anything. Barely five words had passed between them since arriving at the restaurant. She would have thought that Nabiki would have said something by now at least.
Nodoka had greeted her warmly when she'd come down this morning. She'd even been complimented on her outfit. Something about the green going well with her complexion and hair, well if she had to be a girl at least she knew she looked good as one. She had to admit that the clothes didn't really bother her all that much. Over the last year she'd had to adapt a bit to what she considered appropriate dress and behavior in her girl form, not that she would admit it.
Nabiki was dressed in the blue kimono that she'd been wearing the first day Ranma had arrived at the Tendo's. It seemed like such a long time ago, so much had happened over the last year. It had been a bit of a surprise that the middle Tendo daughter would be coming with them, but Ranma knew that Nabiki was probably working on doing what she'd asked her to do the other day. Anything that kept the chaos down till she figured out what was up with her Ki was welcome.
The restaurant that Nodoka took them to was a lot nicer than Ranma was used to. If it weren't for those obscure martial arts challenges (Martial Arts Dining, Martial Arts Tea Ceremony, and Martial Arts Dine and Dash and others) that she'd participated in over the last year, she'd have felt decidedly out of place. "Stupid idiot jackasses," She thought, "Picolet, Sentaro, Kinnosuke; Who'd have thought that I'd ever actually be grateful for having met those idiots." Remembering Nabiki's actions during the Kinnosuke Kash-oo incident still sent shivers down her spine.
In the end it was Nabiki who broke the silence. "So Auntie, It's not that I don't appreciate you treating us to such an enjoyable meal, but why exactly am I here? I mean I understand that you have a lot to discuss with Ranma, but I'm not really certain why you would invite me along."
Nodoka smiled. "Why Nabiki what ever could you mean? Seriously though, you're right we have a lot of things to cover this morning and I believe you mentioned that you and Ranma would be leaving before noon. Isn't that so?"
Nabiki nodded. "Yes Auntie, Ranma will be escorting me to Tokyo for the rest of the weekend. I'll be honest with you. The actions of Daddy and Mr. Saotome yesterday are going to place some serious strain on the family's resources, and we simply cannot afford another incident like yesterday. I have some important business that will take a few days to complete, and I could use Ranma's help. It will take him out of the area while you're busy cleaning up the rest of the Panda's messes. That was your intention was it not Auntie?"
Nodoka nodded. "I see that you're as informed as ever Nabiki. Yes, I'm finally cleaning up my wayward husband's messes, as you call them. In fact I've already taken care of most of them. The Kuonji agreement being the last of the one's I've successfully negotiated. As of now the Tendo agreement is the only honor commitment remaining from my husband's dealings."
Both Nabiki and Ranma were caught off guard at that statement. Ranma spoke up, "Mom, does that mean I'm no longer engaged to U-Chan or Shampoo?" her mind reeling at the concept.
"Are we to 'negotiate' the Tendo agreement as well?" Nabiki added.
"No," Nodoka replied with a sigh. "I've managed to clear up all the engagements made by Genma during the training trip. However Xian Pu falls under another category, and while I intend to speak with Matriarch Ku Lon about her actions, I doubt that I will have much success. As for the Tendo-Saotome pact, well, it should be noted that while Ranma's father can be a bit reckless from time to time, he is not an idiot. Your father and my husband have completed all of the proper documents and received blessing from both clan heads for the arrangement. If either family were to break it without cause, significant honor would be lost by both. Ranma could be cast out of the clan if he were to fail to honor his end of the agreement. I am sure that I do not have to tell you Nabiki what would happen to the Tendo family if you were to lose the blessing of your clan, correct?"
Nabiki's face went pale as she nodded, and Ranma shuddered at the thought of being cast from her clan. Her honor was really the only thing she'd ever owned. To have it stripped away from her and labeled a ronin. It was not a pleasant thought.
Nodoka continued, "I'm sure that you've been informed that I have spoken with Akane, Nabiki. What you may not know is that I have also spoken with Kasumi. She informed me that she has someone whom she wishes to be allowed to date and possibly wed, however she is willing to fulfill the Tendo agreement should Akane be either unwilling or incapable of performing her duty."
If it was possible Nabiki seemed to get paler at the statement.
"Hey," Ranma said trying to keep herself from shouting. "I'm not ruining Kasumi's life Mom. I'd rather be cast out of the clan than force her into a loveless marriage. She deserves better than that. It wouldn't be right…" She trailed off as her mother broke into a bright smile.
"That's very manly of you Ranma," Nodoka said. The irony of that statement completely lost on everyone present. "However, Kasumi would be hurt if she had to live with being the cause of your misfortune. In any case, that's why you're here Nabiki."
Nabiki nodded. She'd figured out where this was going. "Auntie, rest assured that I know my duty to my family, Kasumi will never be forced to make that choice I promise. Should Akane fail to uphold Tendo honor, I will."
Ranma was confused for a moment. What were they…Oh! "No."
Nodoka looked at her daughter. "Ranma, what do you mean?"
Ranma back and forth between her mother and Nabiki, "Listen Nabs, you don't know what you're promising. I will not marry Akane. I'd rather be ronin. You and I may not have seen eye to eye on a lot of things, but I know you keep your word when you give it. If you make that promise then you bring your personal honor into the matter. Right now, it's just family honor. If I walk away now, request to be cast from the clan then I'll only be rejecting someone who's already rejected me. If you make that promise then I have to reject you in order to break the pact. We may have our differences, but I respect you Nabiki. If you don't want to be my fiancée, don't make that promise. I'll walk right now rather than force either your sister or you into the mess that's my life against your will."
Nodoka looked shocked at Ranma's statement.
Nabiki however was angry and making no attempt to hide it. "Now you listen up Saotome. I'm not an idiot. You don't think after listening to you last night that I don't know you have no intention of marrying my little sister? Akane's a spoiled little princess and has shown time and again that she's not ready for a relationship. I will not put more of a burden on Kasumi than has already been placed on her. I know my duty to my family. I have always known my duty to my family. Besides, I'll have you know that I was the only member of my family that was actually looking forward to meeting you last year. If the bloody Jyusenkyo curse hadn't thrown me for such a loop you'd never have even been Akane's fiancée. I'm not in love with you. I'm not happy about this arrangement. I'm not like Ukyou, Shampoo, Kodachi, or any of those other lunatics who think they can fall in love with someone they just met or barely know. I'm just not that naive. I like you enough to know we won't kill each other, and I'm willing to uphold family honor. So am I wrong about you Saotome, does your honor mean less to you than that of your baka panda of a father?" She said heatedly before turning to Nodoka. "No offense meant of course Auntie. Now as I was saying. I promise that my sister will not have to make that choice. I will uphold the Tendo agreement."
Ranma was at a loss. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. "Nabiki, don't you remember the last time we were engaged?" She would have said more except the look that Nabiki was giving her was scaring her.
"We'll discuss this later Saotome. Neither you nor I are as immature as we were 7 months ago. The circumstances are completely different. And before you say something about me getting hurt, I may not be a martial artist, but I can look after myself. Besides I've known since the beginning that the agreement was for any of the three of us. You were to be given a choice of your fiancée that first day if you remember. You say you won't choose Kasumi, and I agree. She deserves to find happiness and I think her and Doc Tofu will be happy together. He promised her he'd come back, and he's almost as anal as you are about his word. You say you won't choose Akane. I've heard your reasons. I've watched you for over a year as the two of you tried to make it work. I think you've grown up some. I think she hasn't, and I agree with your reasons for the most part. I probably see more reasons than you do. Well Saotome that just leaves me. I'm willing. I'm not going to bemoan my fate. You've got a choice, I'm sorry that your options are so limited."
Ranma sighed. She'd gotten a lot better at arguing over the last year. She could speak her mind better and her arguments held more water. However she knew that she wasn't going to win against Nabiki anytime soon. "Mom, as it seems there is a willing Tendo daughter, and provided that the Clan heads cannot be persuaded to alter the agreement, I will uphold my end of the pact, eventually." She emphasized the last word. "I'm much too young to be getting married. Nabiki will wish to complete college I'm sure, and I refuse to be put through another fiasco like yesterday. So I'll give my word to uphold the agreement eventually, if you'll do your best to get the fathers off our backs. I would appreciate if you could at least try to find an honorable way out of the agreement, but should that prove to be impossible I know my duty."
Nodoka nodded. "Of course dear, I'll speak with the fathers. Are you certain that Akane is unacceptable? It was not my intention to…"
Ranma interrupted her. "Mom, I'm not marrying Akane. If I marry a Tendo then it'll be Nabiki. I'd prefer if this wasn't common knowledge though."
"Fine son, if that's your decision." Nodoka said. "On to other matters then, Ranma what are your plans? You mentioned Nabiki attending college; dare I hope that you have considered doing the same? I have seen your grades, and while I'm not entirely pleased with your performance to date, from what I have seen of your daily life, I suppose you've done your best."
Ranma, Nabiki and Nodoka spent the next few hours discussing Ranma's life, goals, and options. Ranma spoke enthusiastically about potentially traveling on her own to advance her Art before she made any decisions as to her career goals.
Ranma didn't quite know what to think about what had been discussed this morning. It was hard for her to imagine her life without the conflicting honor arrangements pulling her in one direction or another. She definitely didn't know what to think about Nabiki's role in the discussion. "I'm engaged to Nabiki again." She thought as she turned to look at the middle Tendo daughter. The brunette was currently speaking quietly on her cell phone. Ranma felt sorry for whoever she was speaking to. Nabs definitely didn't look happy.
Nabiki hadn't even let her go back to the dojo to change before dragging her off. They'd barely left the restaurant before Nabiki had informed her that she would be carrying her to the train station. That was just the beginning of Nabs ordering her around today. They took the Yamanote line to Shinjuku, and Nabiki had begun what would become a 3 hour shopping spree across the downtown area. The trip had culminated at a restaurant called the Stargazer's Inn. Not that Ranma was complaining…much. No one had attacked her all day. Nabiki tended to be a pleasant conversationalist when she wasn't angry or scamming money from her. What surprised her the most about today was that so far Nabiki hadn't once made her pay for anything. Nabiki never paid for anything when Ranma spent time with her. She'd always made Ranma pick up the tab. Ranma hadn't spent a yen all day.
The only really annoying thing about the day was that she'd had to spend it in her female form. Ranma shivered as she remembered Nabiki's response the one time today that she'd complained about not being allowed to change back.
(Flashback)
Nabiki stood there in front of Ranma with her hands on her hips. She looked ready to spit fire any moment, and Ranma could swear that she could see a battle aura emanating from the girl in front of him. "Ranma, I'm only going to go over this once, so listen up. I went through a lot of trouble to get everything together for today. I was up half the night setting up contingency plans and calling in favors. You can leave now if you don't want to meet with my contacts on your problem. It is possible for you to learn what you need to learn on your own, although it will be considerably more difficult. However, as contacts go these are the only ones that I have that might be able to help you. These people have done a lot for me. They helped me when I was lost and scared and discovering a world that makes the things you've seen over the last year look commonplace."
Ranma almost laughed at that, but he quickly held it in as Nabiki glared at him.
"Ranma, I was only 12 years old when I had my Awakening. I know you think you've seen a lot of strange things over your life, and I'll admit that for a sleeper, your life was insane. However despite your experience and even being Awake to the reality of the world around you now, you know next to nothing about the range of weirdness that exists out there. Vampires, Were-creatures, Demons (Not the spirit beings you've had experience with, but real true demons out of the deepest pits of the blackest hells with powers that would make Saffron look like a puppy dog.), Mummies, Faeries, and creatures so weird that people lose their sanity just by coming into contact with them. That's just the tip of the Iceberg, and probably worst of all there are other people like us out there. We call ourselves the Awakened, and not all of us are friendly. In fact I'd go so far as to say that way too many of us are callous and self-serving if not quite evil, and Ranma there are many people and things out there that are downright evil." She shudders as if reliving a bad memory. "So, suffice it to say, that I owe a lot to the people that I'm taking you to meet, and if I say you have to stay a girl to meet them, than you will stay a girl and like it. You will be on your BEST behavior, and you will not needlessly insult anyone or pick any fights. Got it?"
Ranma gulped. "Ur… Yes?"
"Good, now let's go. I want to do some more shopping." Nabiki said, before grabbing onto Ranma's arm and dragging her towards another store.
(End Flashback)
So here she was, sitting in a restaurant waiting on Nabiki to finish her phone call with whoever they were supposed to meet here, and wondering if her new life was going to really be that much weirder than her so-called normal life. Nabiki must be exaggerating right? How much more chaotic could her life really get? "Mom must be psychic or something." She thought. "It's still hard to believe that she chose to spell my name like that, (乱 麻- - Ranma –Literally reads Chaos. Represents the Chaotic processes of nature. Scientific Kanji) and baka Oyaji taught me how to write my own name wrong. Stupid panda. "He thought. "Man, Nabiki sure had a good laugh at that one. I swear I thought she was going turning blue there for a minute. Rice picking maiden of Chaos, damn, and I like my name. Not like I can make fun of Nabiki's name either. Though I have to admit her name certainly makes sense. ( 天 道 靡 き - Tendo Nabiki- The way of Heaven Fluttering. Alternately 'One who bends the ways of Heaven'.)"
Nabiki rejoined Ranma at their table scowling. "Change of plans Ranma-kun."
"Huh? How's that?" Ranma asked.
"I've been told they won't meet with you here. It's been decided by so-called wiser heads than mine, that you should be brought into the inner sanctum before meeting anyone."
"Well that's good right? I mean I can go meet them at their dojo or temple or whatever ya call it."
"It's called a Chantry actually, and it's not quite that simple Ranma-kun. In order to enter the Chantry you have to undergo an initiation of sorts. Normally you'd meet with someone who'd instruct you in how not to kill yourself and eventually be asked if you wish to join a Chantry. They're not really giving you a choice you see. They're just saying that they won't meet with you unless you come to them, and in order for you to get in to the Chantry you'd have to pass the tests."
"Tests?" Ranma asked.
"Yeah," Nabiki replied. "I can't tell you what it'll consist of as it's a different experience for each individual. However I do know that not everyone comes out of the testing ground in one piece. Some never come out at all in fact. A lot of Chantries have done away with the so called trial by fire initiation practices. However the Chantry that I belong to is really traditional in this and no one is allowed in without passing the trials. Ranma-kun you don't have to do it you know. I could just ask them to pass the word around and eventually someone would be able to help you, or you could just figure things out on your own. I'd help you as much as I could. This is not the only way you can learn just the fastest."
"Yeah, I can handle it." Ranma said with a touch of her usual confidence. "Ain't like I don't deal with those sorta things on a daily basis. Nabs, I get that this is your world. I might be a bit outta place in it, but you must not realize just how weird my life has become. So your friends want to test me. Big deal, I'll pass no problem. I'll even be on my best behavior when I meet 'em. I ain't joining nothing though. They wanna help me get a handle on this stuff, great. We'll work out the details and such. I ain't gonna turn down no teaching if they wanna offer, but I know how these so called masters work Nabs, they'll want something from me for that teaching. I learned my lessons well from the amazons and such. I don't need their help if the price is too high."
Nabiki nods and sighs. "Damn it Ranma. Just don't say later I didn't warn you. If you go and get yourself killed during this I don't want your ghost following me around. Don't go pulling a Hibiki and track me down during your next life either."
Ranma still wasn't sure if she was joking or not. "Yeah whatever. I promise."
"Fine, let's go. Suddenly I'm not in the mood to spend any more money."
"Wha.. But lunch…" Ranma stuttered as Nabiki pulled her towards the door and away from the remainder of her meal.
Authors Notes and Relevant Information-
Quick note, I chose to split this chapter in half as I was having serious difficulty writing the second half of the Chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to complete Chapter 3 in a decent amount of time. Anyone who'd like to apply for the job of Beta Reader I could really use one. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and see you soon for Chapter 3 "Down the Rabbit Hole".
Alright, I feel the need to rant a bit here and fill in a little background information for those of you who care yet might not be familiar with the World of Darkness setting or Mage the Ascension. Prior to this chapter most of this information was largely irrelevant, and in fact a lot of it will be explained as Ranma himself learns about it. On the other hand, I've been informed that even up to here some of the terminology and concepts I'm using are just incomprehensible to most of my readers. So I'll try and give a few small lessons in my little section here. I'd like to think that most of this material is just extra, and if you're not interested or just want to follow along as Ranma gradually comes to understand the world he's been thrust into, then by all means skip this section. Note- I'm mixing both my own rants and quotes directly from the Source material for Mage the Ascension. All direct quotations will be in italics.
First I need to expound a bit on the nature of reality in this world. Some of you might be seriously confused about the difference between Magick, magic, and Ranma's brand of martial arts. First I should mention that the type of martial arts that Ranma practices is a type of magic in and of itself. Ranma, his rivals, mentors and enemies (Other than the supernatural entities) are what is known among mages as Sorcerers.
"A sorcerer leads a sort of half-Awakened life, right on the cusp of the magical world but without the breadth and flexibility of a full Awakened mage. Grasping at the mythic threads held in legend and history, some resurrect ancient magics from ages long ago. Others push themselves to extraordinary understanding of science or spirituality and develop the capacity to exceed normal people in phenomenal ways. One can hardly call sorcerers "limited" — they have for more wisdom, and far more concomitant peril, than most mundane humans. While Awakened mages are the trailblazers who forge new ways, the sorcerers are those humans who dare to walk those paths opened by the Awakened instead of complacently waiting for the world to come to them."
-Sorcerer, Revised Edition- pg. 9
The Martial Artists and other people that make up Ranma's life practice a form of linear magic. This linear magic has been ingrained into the Tellurian (See Lexicon below). Unlike Awakened mages, they are not twisting reality by their Will, but instead through training and practice have learned to use the well-worn paths of magic that has been carved by Will-workers over thousands of years. I.E. Ku-Lon's 3000 year Amazon History. Only the absolute most talented master Sorcerers ever actually "create" something truly new. And in that way Genma really is a genius. I'll go into my views of the Panda-man at some later date however. Back to the topic at hand.
"Special K : What happened to 'magick'? Of the mages left on Earth, few know enough about Avatars and Prime theory to even recognize that the Awakened Avatar allows for a very different sort of magic than Sleeper sorcery. You speak in strange tongues – you make gestures with your hand – your enemy bursts in flames! Was it Awakened magic or sorcery? Who can tell? When someone changes the world through practice and will, it's magic. Perhaps it was a conceit of hubris to ever think that Awakened mages were somehow special and superior to others with their 'True Magick.' "
–Mage the Ascension Core Rulebook pg. 26
Really the only thing that the so called "Awakened" have going for them aside from the potential for incredibly sick amounts of raw power, is their versatility. Ki adepts like Ranma used to be can pull off incredible feats with each technique they learn, but each technique only does one thing. A Mage on the other hand, once they come to understand the nature of the spheres of reality, can accomplish 'ANYTHING' they can visualize by forcing reality to warp to their will. The only real limitations on them is their understanding of the nature of reality (Arête and Sphere Knowledge), and how tied they are to any preconceived notions of what will work (Paradigm). Of course they have to pay for this versatility with Paradox. (The universal bitch-slap for daring to break the rules.) Ex-Sorcerers like Ranma are at a severe disadvantage after Awakening. He hasn't forgotten how to use his martial Arts, and his Ki isn't really gone, but the shock of Awakening has distorted his own view of the nature of things. Ki manipulation is magic like any other in the World of Darkness, and as an Awakened mage, his abilities are tied into his Paradigm of the Universe. Awakening shatters any preconceived Paradigm and in that way it's more a matter of getting his mojo back as far as his old abilities go. The real issue of course is that he'll be forced to reconcile the fact that while he can still utilize his Art, some of the particularly vulgar effects will sometimes (not always) garner Paradox.
Anyways, I'm ranting way more than I had originally intended, I can always include more of these in later chapters. For now I'll just list a bit of vocabulary.
Relevant Vocabulary-
Mages often converse in their own terms, whether handed down in a Tradition or made up to fill a certain niche. Some come from identifiable magical roots, while others seem to stem from no traceable origin.
Common Parlance
Acolyte: A servitor of a mage who does not perform magic, but believes in its power.
Arête (AIR-uh-tay): A mage's level of mystical understanding and connection to the Tellurian.
Ascension: The mythical state of enlightenment beyond human comprehension.
Ascension War, The: The conflict to determine whether the world would embrace magic, science or faith.
Avatar: A shard of spirit energy, tied to the human soul, perhaps from the Pure One(s) of the long-ago universe. Through the interaction of the Avatar with the universe, a mage performs magic.
Awakened, The: Blanket term for supernatural entities, including mages. Many Younger mages use this a term to describe themselves. Sons of Ether particularly tend to refer to mages in general by the term Awakened as many detest the terms Mage, Magus, or even Magick.
Awakening, The: The moment in which one realizes the power to change the universe.
Cabal: A group of mages bound by some common purpose.
Chantry: A stronghold of mages.
Chi'n Ta: Common word throughout Asia for Mages. Literally "One with Chi". Also used within the Akashic Brotherhood.
Coincidental Magic: Magic cloaked in circumstance. Such magic appears like it "could be happened" coincidentally.
Craft: A cultural faction of mages.
Daemon: The physical personification of a Mage's Avatar.
Demon: A name for a dangerous creature from the spirit worlds, possibly a spirit, possibly something else.
Dream Realms: Worlds fashioned from dreams kept alive.
Epiphany: A magical revelation or sudden insight into magic.
Focus: An item, act, phrase, gesture or similar artifice required to perform magic. Through the focus, the mage concentrates belief and will and causes magic to result.
Gate: A magical doorway that allows passage between two places.
Gauntlet, The: The barrier separating the material world from the spirit worlds.
Hollow Ones: A group that espouses post-modernism, the Gothic subculture and decadence in response to the declining world.
Horizon, The: The magical limit separating the Near Umbra and the Deep Umbra.
Hubris: The overwhelming pride that leads a mage to believe that he may challenge the cosmos itself, and that convinces a mage that his way is "the right way." Such hubris is often fatal, and it lies at the heart of the conflict between mages.
Initiation: A test to pass a young mage from the ranks of apprentice to full responsibility within a Tradition.
Mage: Term for a human who can work magic according to a discrete set of beliefs and practices, and thereby cause the world to change according to her desire.
Magic: The act of altering the world through force of will and practice of belief.
Metaphysic Trinity: The universal forces of Stasis, Dynamism and Entropy.
Node: A place of power where Quintessence flows freely and strongly.
Orphans: Mages who Awaken without formal training and who school themselves in their own magical techniques. Each Orphan discovers her own paradigm of doing magic. (Note- Ranma is an Orphan)
Otherworlds: Realms outside the Gauntlet.
Paradox: The backlash of reality bending against magical change. Paradox can strike a mage directly, or it may build up subtly.
Path: A general term for destiny, or for a particular branch of magical practice.
Pattern: The metaphysical composition of an object, place, person or idea.
Pure Ones: Legendary primordial beings from the dawn of creation; some mages believe Avatars to be pieces of the Pure Ones.
Portal: A permanent Gate, allowing access to or from (not always both) a particular location. Portals can be keyed to allow only certain access or certain times of activation or any number of security measures.
Prime: The force of energy that describes all of reality's basic composition.
Protocols, The: A code of honor and set of rules held by the Traditions. Many Traditionalists feel desperate enough not to constrain themselves to all of the Protocols.
Quiet: A temporary (usually) delusional state brought on by Paradox and magic.
Quintessence: The energy of magic. All things are created from Quintessence and return to it. The building blocks of Prime energy.
Resonance: Mystical traces and attunements tied to magical actions, emotions, intent and desire. All magic carries Resonance, and Resonance reflects a mage's will in creating an effect.
Rote: A magical process handed down as a common (or at least well-used) practice.
Seeking: The quest for greater enlightenment.
Sleeper: A person who has not yet Awakened to the fullness of the supernatural world.
Sphere: A particular element of reality that can be codified and manipulated with magic.
Static Reality: The "natural course" of reality, unaffected by the direction of magic. Static reality has become more and more constrictive as the world clamps down to a single paradigm and as reality becomes less accepting of change or magic.
Tass: Quintessence held in a physical object. Such an object can be used for barter, or to power magical effects.
Tapestry, The: A metaphor for reality as a whole.
Technocracy, The: The modern organization and conspiracy dedicated to furthering a scientific and rational basis for the world. The Technocracy hopes to make reality "safe for humanity" by removing random elements and dangerous foibles. It believes that humanity does not have the ability to cope with such elements on its own. As a result, the Technocracy (or Technocratic Union) strives to eliminate magical phenomena and to stop mages, whose powers they do not understand.
Tellurian: The whole of reality.
Tradition: One of the Nine Mystic Traditions, a group of mages sharing similar training and outlooks. The Traditions fight to preserve magic against the Technocracy, and to defend against the depredations of Marauders and Nephandi. These groups are the Akashic Brotherhood, the Celestial Chorus, the Cult of Ecstasy, the Dreamspeakers, the Euthanatos, the Order of Hermes, the Sons of Ether, the Verbena and the Virtual Adepts.
Vulgar Magic: Magic that breaks the "laws of reality," like hurling flame, flying through the air or turning someone into a toad.
Wonder: An object of magical power. Some Wonders are simple objects that perform only a small trick or hold a tiny amount of Quintessence, while others are legendary artifacts capable of phenomenal feats of magic and holding great amounts of mystical energy. (Examples- Kinjikan, Excalibur, Ginzishou, and others.)
Titles
Adept: A mage with a fair degree of aptitude and power — though now some of the most powerful mages left on Earth.
Apprentice: A mage who has not been initiated, but who studies the forms of a Tradition. (Nabiki is an Apprentice studying within the "Sons of Ether" Tradition)
Bani: An honorific indicating a mage's Traditional affiliation: "Nightshade bani Verbena."
Celestine: A great spirit, essentially a god.
Consor: A potent ally of a mage, but one who is not a mage himself.
Deacon: A common title for a founder of an established Chantry.
Disciple: The initiated beginners of the Traditions. Disciples can perform limited magic, and they are accepted as Tradition members.
Errant: A mage whose Chantry and cabal have been destroyed.
Fellow: A full member of a Chantry, but not a founder.
Incarna: Greater spirits; the servants of the Celestines. For all intents and purposes, demigods.
Lord: An Umbrood spirit less powerful than an Incarna but greater than a Preceptor or Minion.
Master: A mage of great power and ability, who has reached the pinnacle of one or more Spheres. Such mages are extremely rare on Earth, as most work their highly dangerous magic in the more pliable spirit worlds.
Mentor: A mage who teaches another.
Minion: A low-ranking Umbrood spirit.
Pedagogue: A Hermetic tutor of great fame, usually quite powerful and surrounded by students.
Preceptor: An Umbrood spirit that is less powerful than a Lord, but more powerful than a Minion.
Primus: "First One," used to refer to the founders of the Traditions and the current living heads of said Traditions.
Rogue: A renegade mage.
Sentinel: A mage who guards over a Chantry but is not a member.
Technomancer: A mage of a mystic Tradition who uses the trappings of technology, but combines them with mystical understanding. Not to be confused with a Technocrat, a mage who relies wholly on the theories of science and technology.(I.e. Many Sons of Ether and Virtual Adepts fall under this label, however in this day and age some of the younger mages in each tradition utilize both magic and technology to some degree.)
Tutor: Mages who have become proficient teachers. This term denotes some respect.
Old Form
Certamen: Formalized, non-lethal magical dueling, used to settle disputes between mages.
Curtain, The: The "false" reality in which Sleepers believe. An Awakened entity has passed "through the Curtain" to the wider world.
Custos: A non-mage who works with or for a cabal or Chantry.
Grog: A familiar form of the term custos.
Magus: A mage. Plural magi.
Turb: A gang of Grogs.
Vis: Quintessence.
Vulgar Argot
Black Hats & Mirrorshades: The Technocracy.
Bloodwork: Any magic that requires great effort, or that actually requires the use of blood.
Copperfield: Playing off a magical effect as a mere trick or coincidence.
Crystal Wavers: "New Age" magicians who have no understanding of real magic.
Doxed: To have accumulated too much Paradox energy.
Dram: A unit of measure for Quintessence.
Faust: A mage who bargains excessively with spirits, especially dangerous ones.
Freak: A dangerously insane mage.
Fry: To attack someone with magic, most often with the Sphere of Forces.
Grayface: A Technocrat or any mage who is excessively Static.
Juice: Quintessence.
Merlin: An old mage, especially one locked outside of Earth.
Mundane: A normal human.
Nuke: An assault from a Paradox Spirit.
Pit Bulls: Derogatory term for werewolves.
Technobabble: A derogatory term for the magic of the Technocracy.
Wyld & Fried: An insane mage, generally a Marauder.