The Unconscious
From Summoner
The power of a Summoner does not stem from Above, as with a Mage, or from Across, as the Wyrd of a Changeling flows. It is not born of the Blood of a Vampire, nor the Rage of the werewolves. The divine fire of the Prometheans is a fascinating mystery, but offers no insight into what makes a Summoner...a Summoner.
The true headwaters of a Summoner's power lie within that Summoner's soul, in his dreaming place. Summoners call it the Unconscious, a kingdom of the self. Within, every possible permutation of a person exists, and indeed, many believe that every possible Alter Soul makes their place in the Unconscious, waiting to be called forth. It is a place that is not without its own dangers, but the Unconscious must be mastered for any Summoner who wishes to awaken a greater Ego, or to look within for a new Alter Self to define him.
Contents |
Falling Asleep
Visiting the Unconscious can either be a difficult act of meditation...or a complete accident. A Summoner generally has a need or a desire to look inward when they seek out the Unconscious, and doing so simply requires them to focus on the truth of their being and descend further into their power source, their Ego.
To willingly descend into the Unconscious, the Summoner meditates normally, rolling Composure + Wits. Every four successes draws the Summoner deeper within himself, first into a waking calm, to a dreaming meditation, and finally, at 12 successes into his Kingdom. Descending deeper is a dangerous ordeal, and should not be undertaken lightly. Refer to the table in Mage: the Awakening (pg. 284) for more information on how to travel down in the Astral Realms.
At any point a character becomes unconscious, his Alter Self may choose to call him down into the throne room of his Kingdom, where they may speak freely. Regardless of the method, the character may immediately seek to free himself from the dream with a successful Resolve + Composure roll. An angry Alter Self can resist this roll with it's own Power + Resistance, to hold its master in place for another turn per success if they succeed.
What a Summoner finds within the Unconscious is another matter entirely...
The Waking Dream (8 successes)
A place to speak to one's active Alter Selves, and to face any threats that have arisen from below to challenge the character.
A Summoner, over time, will either awaken, acquire, or bind other Alter Selves into his being. Here, in a waking dreamscape, he stands alone in a largely featureless place. Here, he is alone with his most prominent aspects, the Alter Selves. Within this waking dream, he can confer with them, explore their opinions on his path, and get a general sense of his own desires. A character that does so may be justified in gaining Identity, early(up to 3) stages of Ego, and further Commitment.
Alter Selves can also be switches in primacy here, granting the Summoner a different Arcanum Boon. Doing so requires a Resolve + Composure roll, success binding the Summoner to his other Alter Self. Not only does a Summoner's primary Alter Self confer the Boon, it also becomes easier to Draw Out.
The Kingdom (12 successes)
A Summoner's Kingdom is a place where his primary arcana rule supreme. It is a place populated and tended by masses of minds and souls, all reflections of aspects of the Summoner. Family members, friends, memorable strangers, forgotten folk...and in places of power, reflections of stages of the Summoner's own life and potential walk through the Kingdom as its Denizens. Alter Selves also walk this place, but always out of easy sight. Many rest as Alter Selves of Denizens, while others walk freely, but either do not consider the Summoner worth meeting, or avoid him out of fear.
The appearance of a Kingdom varies vastly, depending on the subconscious nature of the Summoner. A few constants can be determined, however. The Summoner's Trump is always expressed in the general theme of the place. A King's home is rigid, as his Ego demands it fall into place. A Queen's place can seem almost normally, touched by every life she has encountered. A Knight's inner realm can be a confusing place, an allegory for the beliefs that define it. A Page's home ranges from the hellish to the simply exotic, representing struggles and obstacles aplenty. An Ace's realm is never the same twice, but often follows a theme for those who know how to understand it.
Next, the Summoner's affinity Arcana shape and mold the features and politics of his Kingdom. For example, a King that favors Death, the Emperor, and the Sun may find a place of quickly shifting night and day. While the Sun is high in the sky, the Kingdom's lord is benevolent and a bastion of hope. His people love him. When night falls, the lord passes away and is replaced, and the people shake and mutate, rebuilt by the whims and needs of their replacement. The permutations are endless, and entirely up to the Summoner's point of view.
Lastly, the Summoner's Identity has a profound effect on the general tone of his or her Kingdom. The higher the character's Identity, the less threatening and monstrous the realm tends to be. Beyond that, it is difficult to say for certain. How a Summoner feels about his moral fiber, however, will truly define whether he is welcome within his own Kingdom.
The Throne
At the heart of a Summoner's Kingdom, beyond the doubts and questions that place can represent, he finds a place of rest and contemplation. The shape of the Throne is a deeply personal thing, and should be discussed between the player and the Storyteller before being described. Here, the character should find comfort, solace, and two things: a mirror and a door.
The mirror within the Throne always faces opposite of the sitting or resting place. It is where the Summoner may look upon himself (and his Alter Self) as truly as his Ego allows. And it is here where he may redefine his Alter Self if he so chooses. Doing so allows for the Alter Self to be rebuilt according to the Summoner's current Ego, and costs a dot of Willpower. The Summoner must then succeed on a roll of Resolve + Composure + Ego versus the two highest traits of the Alter Self. This roll is extended, with both sides aiming for the other's Willpower. Bonuses and penalties can be applied to the Summoner based on his Identity, events in the story that drive the redefinition, and on changes the character has undergone.
The new Alter Self retains its Arcanum and any Commitment the Summoner grants it, and retains a common theme. Beyond that, however, the only limits lie between the player, the Storyteller, and the Summoner's ego.
The door, however, leads further down, into places that all beings share. It is through this door that the Summoner may visit the Collective Unconscious (the Mage's Temenos). There are other doors that lead downward in the Summoner's Kingdom, but this is the only door he may open himself. The other doors are opened by creatures from beneath. That thought alone is enough to keep many far from their own Kingdoms without pressing business. To open the door, the Summoner must continue his meditations upon his throne, raising his total to 16 successes. The door then unlocks.
Places Below (16 successes)
The Velvet Room
Where Facilitators ply their trade...
Behind the Door, one finds a small foyer. On one side is an inviting door, on the other a locked, barred door. The inviting door leads to what is called the Velvet Room by those who frequent such places. Here, beings known around the Estates as Facilitators ply their trades.
For reasons unknown, Facilitators wander from dream to dream, offering a number of valuable services to a Summoner on the go. Potent users of the Arts, Facilitators can perform Fusions that far outpace those of normal Summoners, create Symbols from the raw cloth of Id, and forge ironclad Agreements with many benefits and unknown purpose. It is rumored that the originators of the Estates bargained for those Arts from the Facilitators, but such things are difficult to prove. A Facilitator gives no answer it does not want to.
Anything gained from a Facilitator has a price, generally measured in Id for small favors, Willpower for moderate work, and Experience points for anything of permanent value. When they sell Alter Selves, dots of Willpower tend to be their common currency of trade. One Wand Peasant once theorized that there is a finite amount of potential, power, and consciousness in all beings, and that the Facilitators distribute these things according to a grand plan. The Facilitator he offered his theory to laughed for a solid hour, and then raised all of his prices.
For rules on the natures of a Facilitator's bargains, consult The Art of Coins, The Art of Alchemy, Definitions, and The Art of Investiture. Expect more on the powers these beings possess in later supplements.
The Hall of Doors
To reach the mind of another is a dangerous there. There, another Ego rules.
???????? (20 successes)
Not only humans dream...Mages find the so-called Dreamtime dangerous enough. But the ancient gods of this lowest part of the Collective Unconscious rarely brook beings of Ego in their midsts for long....More disturbing still, explorers have found themselves within the Mirror after getting lost in this nameless realm...
