AGE OF SPIRITS (Alt-world urban fantasy) With the end of
imperialism and science becoming increasingly mired in mathematical
impossibility, the people of the Union of Nations begin to lose confidence in
cold science, instead turning to spiritual pursuits in the quest for
self-fulfilment. Old practices see a revival, and some individuals find
connections back to the spirits from the Age of Dreams. While some of these
connections are probably beneficial, far more aren’t; some old spirits were
best forgotten, and others are angry at being ignored for so long. The Age
officially ends when alien contact is made; given a new frontier to work
towards and a grander scheme, humanity unites in the face of distant planets.
1)
Shemeld
City: A post-industrial city, Shemeld City isn’t as important to the world
as it once was, but it does boast a unique quality; it’s connection to the
spiritual world. As the Age of Spirits began, Shemeld’s history and location
was closer to the spirit world than other, more developed cities. Although
still financially and geo-politically small, Shemeld greets disparate cultures
as equals, and as the Age of Spirits grows from a fringe movement, Shemeld
becomes the focal point for new spiritualism.
2)
Old
Spirit Movement: The beginning seed of the Age, the Old Spirit Movement
were the first collection of misfits, occultists and cryptologists to contact
the spirits from a forgotten time. Although the Movement destroyed itself with
infighting, each group sees it as their origin myth, even if their particular
form of magic came about much later. The original Movement had five members,
bought together by a shared disillusion with the world. Details were
mythologised, conflated and exaggerated with each retelling, but the members
came to symbolise a piece of the movement; The Escapist, Rebel, Hedonist,
Scholar, and Attainer.
3)
Enlightened:
Originally the Attainers of the Movement, the Enlightened who seek
spiritual fulfilment. By far the lightest, nicest, least-likely-to-kill-you
branch of the Movement, the Enlightened are equally the most disparate; there’s
no one path to Enlightenment, after all, and Enlightened learn as many options
as possible. Paths might converge, split, or loop back, but should never lead
to a dead end. The magic of the Enlightened comes from those who achieve it; depending
on who you ask, these spirits are Angelic, Demonic, beings of pure faith, or
mystic charlatans. Enlightened would prefer it if you didn’t use such terms,
however.
4)
Vampires:
Originally the Hedonists of the Movement, Vampires have given themselves over
to obtaining earthly pleasures at any cost, even above life. The spirits involved
in becoming a vampire are always dangerous, and respond only to blood. Once
invoked and bound to their host’s body, the vampire gains immortality at a
heavy price. Sunlight burns, and it must drink blood to retain its youth.
Despite the obvious danger involved, vampires work hard to maintain a romantic
charm about what they are; if the harsh reality became known, it’d quickly lead
to their extermination.
5)
Tyrants:
Originally the Rebels of the Movement, Tyrants desire only power; once it had
been power to cause change, but the change has happened. Without a common
banner, Tyrants selfishly accumulate power in any form; magic, wealth and prestige
are all equal. Some joke that Tyrants make up the world governments; in fact,
there’s equal numbers of other rulers keeping the Tyrants out. No-one’s clear
which spirits the Rebels first invoked; spirits of anger, pride and nobility
have all been posited. One thing is clear; each Tyrant now acts independently,
because otherwise a new Age of Tyranny would begin.
6)
Wizards:
Originally the Scholars of the Movement, wizards pursue knowledge in all its
forms; unlike the other Movement members, wizards haven’t allied with any
particular group of spirits, instead studying and bartering with spirits as a
collective. Although ‘wizard’ suggests some magical talent, many wizards don’t
have any power, studying magic for its own sake. Those that do have bartered it
from spirits; the bloodlines of humanity have been without magic for a long
age, and now none are born with innate power. There are several subsections of
wizard; Elementalists, Conjurers, Illusionists, and Necromancers are a few such
groups.
7)
Shifters:
Originally the Escapists of the Movement, Shifters wanted nothing more than to
leave the real world behind. Changing form to an animal was the most popular
and easiest method of escapism; to run free with a wolf pack, or soar over the
lands as an eagle, was all the Shifters desired. As time went on, Shifters’
magic became entrenched in a single type of spirit; families of werewolves,
werebears and werehawks are so closely tied to their totemic animal, they
forgot they could take different shapes.
8)
Ten minutes after meeting their leader, I met
his pet cat. Within thirty seconds, it was obvious who was the brains in that
organisation.
9)
When a young boy first told his mentor ‘I wish
to be a wizard’, the mentor gave him a task; translate a leather-bound
manuscript, old beyond counting. After thirty days, the boy returned; ‘I
haven’t learnt magic!’ he said, ‘The tome told me nothing!’. The mentor smiled,
and said ‘I know. Do you mind that you pursued power only to find none at the
end?’ ‘Yes!’ said the boy, ‘You deliberately wasted my time!’. The mentor
frowned, ‘Then you do not wish to be a wizard.’ said he, ‘Seek out the Tyrants.
Their philosophy is closer to yours.’
10)
When a young man told his patron ‘I wish to be a
vampire’, he was given a ritual; to dance within a stone circle, adorn his body
with symbols of excess, and to anoint himself with saffron oils before a crowd
of spectators. After thirty days, the man asked ‘Will you make me a vampire?’
The patron asked ‘Did you enjoy the ritual?’; the man replied ‘Very much so!’.
The patron asked ‘Did others wish to join you?’; the man replied ‘Yes; I
gathered quite a crowd!’. ‘Then you have the desire and the skill to join us.’