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Commentaries on the Unspoken Sutra by Lotsawa posted:If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to exercise one by one each of the different Siddhis: being one to become multiform, being multiform to become one; to become visible, or to become invisible; to go without being stopped to the further side of a wall, or a fence, or a mountain, as if through air; to penetrate up and down through solid ground, as if through water; to walk on the water without dividing it, as if on solid ground; to travel through the sky like the birds on wing; to touch and feel with the hand even the sun and the moon, mighty and powerful though they be; and to reach in the body even up to the heaven of Brahma; let him then fulfill all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone!  This is a CYOA game about learning to do magic in its many wondrous, fascinating, terrifying forms. You probably know how this works: i'll narrate a chunk of what's happening to our protagonist, people reading the thread will chat about and vote on the choices I present for how you respond, i'll tally the votes and narrate what happens next. This is super casual, so just read along and post which option looks interesting! We'll be following a person who's driven to attain magical power for deeply personal reasons in a fantasy setting resembling South Asia rather than Western Europe, a world where a hundred different cultures clash and intermingle, rife with dangers and opportunities for a sufficiently dedicated student. We'll figure out more of the world as you pick choices and answer questions, but that's a good starting point. If you like RPGs where you learn about the world, your character, and your cool powers all at the same time*, you will probably enjoy this CYOA! I'll be using Fate Accelerated to model characters and the world when necessary, but it will mostly be behind the curtain. The important thing for you all is what you vote on. Let's get started, shall we? *such as Planescape: Torment, Knights of the Old Republic series, Mask of the Betrayer, etc.  The realm of Bharata is experiencing a surely temporary peace. The Great Lodi Sultanate, which has pushed so far in only a few generations, is recovering from a failed rebellion by the Brotherhood of the Lion, spending its depleted but still considerable stock of silver and sipāhī on rebuilding and restoring order. The independent rajahs and ranis to the south are grateful for a break in the raiding, and there is talk of their loose confederation of princely states taking advantage of the Sultanate's weakness to strengthen their ties with an eye to reclaiming the land they once ruled. Temples, academies and palaces that seemed to have stood forever have been razed in the Sultanate's invasion, the counterattacks of the princely states, the Lions' rebellion, and the general chaos of this fallen era. Traditional sources of authority have not only lost face, they have lost their magical backing. As rulers across the subcontinent fail to protect and guide their subjects, a popular movement is spreading for people to claim the secrets of the ruined temples for themselves.  You are a student at the school of the sage Atriya, a highly learned old woman with venerable knowledge of all things worldly and otherworldly. Atriya established her ashram: A. In the half-overgrown remains of an old stone fortress, forgotten by all who would use it. B. In the heart of a vibrant city, cloistered from the outside by an almost supernatural quiet. C. In a hidden glade deep in the dark woods, the lodgings too humble for lurking forest bandits to rob. Atriya has many disciples who have come to learn the mystic arts from her, but you are unusual. Before you were a student at the ashram, you were: D. A sellsword, fighting in mercenary bands for warlords and princes all over Bharata. Whenever you enter a community for the first time, you always know someone there. You are well-suited to solving problems forcefully, but cleverness is not your strong suit. E. A dancer, graceful and well-spoken with an artistic inclination. People you perform for always have a good impression of you. You are good at things which require quickness, but not so good at being sneaky. F. A thief, stealing and outwitting the law just to survive. You always have one more trick up your sleeve and are never out of options. You sneak around well, but falter when you try to act forcefully. G. A shieldbearer, a professional soldier standing up for a cause you believed in. When you attempt to protect someone else, you always succeed. You do best when you are careful, but do poorly with flashy displays. H. A firstborn, heir to a life of princely luxury and privilege. People who respect nobility inherently trust you and are willing to help somehow. You have a natural skill for flashy gestures, but simply aren't very careful. I. An orphan, raised at Atriya's school for as long as you can remember. You are quite book-smart and often have additional insights into situations from things you have read. You are remarkably clever, but have trouble acting quickly. To the other students, your name is _____ and you are a J. Man K. Woman L. Mystery
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Aug 7, 2014 05:39
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| # ¿ Apr 18, 2024 01:40 |
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more stuff will go here later unless this dies on the first page. lol.
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Aug 7, 2014 05:40
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The votes right now are: Location A 6 B 8 C 3 Background E 7 F 4 G 2 I 4 Gender J 3 K 8 L 6 Names: Pariva, Zarathustra, Mahasamanthatma, Safia I'll give it a little while longer since some of them are close, otherwise i'll start writing an update for Pariva the urban dancer lady.
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Aug 7, 2014 17:36
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Silence is a privilege in the bustling trading port of Mahavati, and as you recall, the sudden quiet stillness when you first passed through the veiled archway into Atriya's ashram was just as refreshing as the cool air. The entrance room was dim with the half-light streaming from outside, sparsely decorated but oddly welcoming with its uncreaking wooden floor, clean straw mats, and a burnished copper disc on the far wall that you realize with a start is reflecting your own androgynous features. Honestly, you hardly recognized yourself. You have: A. Long hair B. Short hair C. No hair D. Fine clothing suitable for the wealthy E. A dancer's costume F. A simple traveler's cloak G. A beggar's rags (choose up to three) H. Piercings I. Jewelry J. Tattoos K. Scars You were admiring your reflection at the same time as the old woman was observing you herself. She appeared untroubled, but curious. "How did you come to this place? Unknowing eyes pass over our door, and I have never seen you here." 1. "It's not very well hidden, I was just looking around." 2. "I felt drawn here." 3. "I was sent for." 4. "I want you to teach me." 5. "Did you see a dog run in here?" 6. Say nothing.
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Aug 8, 2014 00:11
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goodness posted:Hopefully L leads to a hybrid/inhuman? I'm looking forward to finding out. You voted Mystery, you're getting a Mystery. --- You were wearing a patterned silk sari and cotton dhoti under your dust cloak that first day, a colorful outfit that was both comfortable and easy to move around in. Your midriff was exposed because your navel is the wellspring of your vitality and creativity, and it was rather humid outside. Your long, dark hair was bound back in a ponytail reaching down your back, tied with strips of bright fabric. You had sturdy steel bangles on your wrists and a traditional necklace made from glass beads and coins, with a pair of gemstone rings that glinted in the dim light. Your hands and feet were bare, but they were covered with intricate mehndi tattoos that suggested the sun, the stars, and colorful birds. If someone looked closer, the things suggested by the array of pale scars breaking up your tattoos and your face were less fanciful. You shrugged at Atriya's question, already glancing outside again in the mirror. "It's not very well hidden, I was just looking around." The old woman seemed troubled, about to say something, but changed her mind. "I see. I think it is for the best that you appeared here. You should come inside, you have traveled far and we have tea to spare." --- You realized by the bottom of your first pot of tea that the sage understood you better than any person you had met. In the earthy darkness of her chambers, with burning incense and methodical chanting echoing from the next room, you felt an unmistakable interest in everything you had to say, smiling at your joys and commiserating with your troubles without providing some pat answer. There was a sense of wisdom about her, not just in her words, but in the general way that adults have when you are a child of somehow knowing what will happen next. A. This unsettled you. B. This put you at ease. C. This made you very curious about her. After some time, a few other people came into the room- Atriya's disciples, you gathered, though you weren't sure what they studied here. Most watched from the sidelines and all seemed confused by your presence and your familiarity with their guru. Only one, a gaunt and mustachioed man called Veer, asked you questions directly. His were less friendly and more incisive than Atriya's: "Strange vagabonds should not be in this place. Where did you come from?" 1. (Truth?) "I am a court dancer from the Lodi Sultanate, living in a golden cage but exiled when my lord was laid low by palace intrigues." 2. (Truth?) "I am a dervish from Amritsangh in the northern mountains. I came here with a caravan of refugees after the Lion's rebellion was crushed." 3. (Truth?) "I am a temple dancer here in Mahavati. My parents were peasants who gave everything they had to send me to the Abode of Natarani to learn sacred dance from her priests." 4. (Truth?) "I am a festival dancer from Lanka in the southern islands. I go where the wind takes me, eat and drink and screw who I please, and move on to the next celebration." 5. "I couldn't say."
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Aug 8, 2014 04:16
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LLSix posted:What is a dervish? Dervishes are mystics who practice a type of ritual dance meant less to entertain others and tell stories, and more to achieve a heightened state of mystical awareness for the dancer. Meditation in motion. They are an unorthodox and reclusive sect on the fringes of mainstream society, and many powers have been ascribed to them and their whirling mystical dance by admirers and suspicious authorities alike. They're mostly found in the arid northern mountains and deserts of Sultanate territory. Picking this would affect the magical knowledge we start with. More on sects and beliefs next update! jng2058 posted:* = The icon set I've got hasn't got numbers. Can we stick with letters, please? I like dividing it into letters and numbers for the reasons Obscil said, but it's not a big deal and I can stick to letters if people like icons.
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Aug 8, 2014 06:39
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You gave Veer and the others the story, or at least the highlights. The walled city of Amritsangh, founded high in the mountains by the Second Guru as a place of refuge and contemplation, forced to become a heavily defended fortress by the time of the Sixth. You grew up there, raised and fed and taught in common with the other children like the First Guru dreamed, not seeing your birth parents as any closer than the rest of the community. While others when you came of age were called to serve as soldiers, scribes, cooks or riders, you were instead drawn to the school of dervishes who made their home in Amritsangh, an order originating from across the Great Barrens who respected the communal ideals of the Gurus but remained apart from them. The mystical and inward-facing nature of their philosophy appealed to you in a way you could not find in the deeply practical community you'd always known. The Brotherhood of the Lion had its origins in Amritsangh as well. You knew southerners would be unlikely to know all the details, but gave the general overview: though they professed to worship the same indivisible and supreme divinity called the One, the unorthodox, populist new faith of the Gurus had never been welcome in the halls of power of the Sultanate. The followers of the Gurus had to become soldiers as well as servants, taking up the sword to prevent their communities from being wiped out. The previous Sultan of Sultans, Alamgir, was especially harsh on the Gurus during his long reign, ordering the execution of both the Sixth and the Seventh with a bath of molten gold. It is for this reason that Alamgir was known as "The One Who Makes the Universe Scream". The Brotherhood, which had already been formed to coordinate martial training among their communities, rose up in open revolt against the Sultanate after this blasphemous indignity. Armed with unique weaponry, true devotion, and supposedly an array of magical protections against both fire and blade, the Lions fought as man, woman, and by some accounts child for liberation. It pains you to have to skip ahead and summarize that they did not succeed. Although it cannot be denied that they slew Sultan Alamgir in his own palace, that's a story for another time. It all came back to you in a final assault on the Lions' fortress of Amritsangh- your home. Though the dervishes meant to stay as they always had, you ended up leaving their monastery and watching the battlements of the city that was meant to be a place of peace burn from the back of a fleeing wagon. There's some bitter irony in remembering that now, considering how things turned out. Back at Atriya's ashram, Veer seemed mollified. He had you pegged as some pampered court treasure, and declares you are somewhat more worthy having come from a place of learning- besides, the Sultanate has few friends in Mahavati. Atriya does not comment, except to demurely agree that it was quite a story, and she is glad you are in a place of safety now. --- You ended up sticking around the ashram for a while, as long as you were being freely offered hospitality. Besides, you had nowhere else to go in the city. Much was done behind closed doors that you weren't allowed to cross, but the other students were welcoming enough, even Veer, although all seemed to be waiting for Atriya's go-ahead before getting too close. One day, after the students went off to meditate, you felt inclined (partly from feeling left out) to meditate in your own way in your quarters. The whirling dance always had a way of centering you, helping you step outside yourself and view your world more objectively. The dark, softly creaking wood in the indoor ashram was less comfortable than the warm stone floor of the amphitheater you were used to, but once you cleared away the straw mats to make space, your bare feet found it welcoming enough. Slowly at first, you began to spin. The lacquered wood slaps satisfyingly against your skin and your hands feel the cool, smoky air like dipping them in a stream. Your arms move as they will, alternately clutching your chest in a protective gesture or reaching out, one hand to heaven and the other to the earth. Your feet are precise, turning and lifting just slightly but keeping you in place while the world moves around you. As the familiar lightheadedness comes on you and the world begins to fall away from your feet, you focus on reaching up and out with your mind as well, escaping the sensations of your body just for a moment... A. Imagine your star-crossed love. B. Imagine the lost safety of home. C. Imagine answers to your many questions. D. Imagine vengeance. E. Imagine sharing in the glory of the gods. F. Imagine the full, true text of the Unspoken Sutra. Huh? G. Blissfully think of nothing at all. You became aware that Atriya was in the room with you. She said nothing, but seemed oddly pleased. Caught off guard in a private moment, you asked if she was amused, but she said she was only observing with interest. "Looking at you dance with such intensity, Pariva, I can imagine how Natarani animates the world, and how she will destroy it. Do you count yourself among her devotees?" A. Yes. You are devoted to Natarani, the pre-eminent goddess of (among other things) destruction, dance, and asceticism. B. No. You are devoted to one of the other gods. (Suggest traits and/or names if you vote B.) C. No. You worship the One as they do in the Sultanate: the austere, indivisible, supreme judge who created all that is and values learning and reason. D. No. You worship the One as the Gurus teach: the all-encompassing truth before whom all other beings are equal, who values service and living in the world. E. No. You follow the Path, a once-widespread but now mysterious tradition revealed by a sage who promised freedom from suffering and the illusory world. F. Yes, somewhat. You respect all the gods, but are not affiliated with any one above all others. G. "No. Why were you watching me?" This may change later, but will tell us more about you and inform some of the types of magic you have access to.
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Aug 9, 2014 02:06
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You don't know how much time passed in your state of self-annihilating reverie. It doesn't matter. An encounter with samādhi, the state of profound emptiness, is to be enjoyed as it comes. You politely explained that you are devoted to no transitory power or divinity, but you do follow the Path revealed by the one who first awakened, the way to awareness and rejection of an illusory world which many have walked before you. That ancient teacher's name is not remembered after all these years, which most of the few remaining practitioners have accepted as it is. Strictly speaking, none of the teacher's original writings are available either. Most of the teachings are transmitted orally from master to student, but in an earlier time when the Path was widespread in Bharata, learned scholars and saints from a hundred traditions produced many commentaries, their own interpretations of a cryptic text known as the Unspoken Sutra. Followers of the Path believe that the Sutra represents an original composition from the hand of the one who first awakened. Some common fragments of the original source remain in these commentaries, though they have been translated in many ways and sometimes seem contradictory, but the original text itself is frustratingly elusive- hence the name. All the children raised in common in Amritsangh were meant to be equal, without any influence from your birth parents apart from your bodies. You were different- flawed. You were brought to the nursery with a tattoo on your back, something your caretakers managed to keep secret from you for years until: A. They revealed it in hushed tones the night before you left to join the dervishes. B. Your first love read it to you while you were furtively bathing in the river. C. You noticed it by complete chance in the reflection of a Lion's polished shield. The tattoo was a brief quotation from an original fragment of the Unspoken Sutra- a proverb, a prophesy, a description, or something more cryptic. Its meaning may not be obvious. What is the quotation?
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Aug 9, 2014 22:18
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| # ¿ Apr 18, 2024 01:40 |
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You remember that day in part because it was the first time you saw the enigmatically wise teacher Atriya look confused. As if things were not unfolding how she had predicted. "A follower of the Path? Here?" She looked at you closely, apparently unsure what to think. "Maybe I misjudged you. That is to say, I...can see that you already have some interest in the world beyond how it appears to you. Not even the dervishes remember that one's teachings. The Path is not so easily stumbled upon without seeking it in our age. Certainly not for a wandering dancer." She seemed to get a bit more sagely with a moment of concentration, guiding the conversation again as if it were pre-written in a record only she could read. "Pariva, do you realize why I came to watch you dance? It was because I heard from your quarters a kind of music in tune with my soul. It was the harmony with the secret sound of creation that my best students struggle to imitate- you must not tell them this- yet for a moment, you seemed to generate it, as clear and effortless as a singing bowl. I knew when you came to my school by chance that a reason would unfurl itself in time. The lotus is open now. There is a seed that can grow in our garden. Do you understand me?" You notice that she is speaking more quickly than usual. You could almost say urgently. >_ Kellsterik fucked around with this message at 07:16 on Aug 12, 2014 |
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Aug 12, 2014 07:11
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