The Jail of Night
Madness and Slavery

by Paul Beakley

        We are, every one of us, Changelings about to Awaken.
        Tales of terrifying beasts, trolls under bridges and child-eating
hags are among the worst lies we're told, ranking alongside
"education" and "religion."  We are numbed to the Truth by our
parents and authorities.  We forget the truth behind these "faery
tales."
        We forget the monsters of legend are us.  We forget our divine
birthright.
        We only regain our divinity when we go mad trying to hide it. 
Another path is by disguising our power as "creativity."  What
better way to pretend to the power of the Demiurge, and thus
reclaim it in part?
        Changelings in the Jail of Night are the criminally insane, the
borderliners, the delusional cultists.  Children are almost
phenomenally dangerous, their power kept in check only by the
facets of the Lie that make them love and respect their parents,
teachers and other authority figures. Little do the parents know they
are merely hosts to ancient souls newly born back into the Jail and
relearning their limits.  Of course, the parents themselves have
forgotten their own origin.  Some of us, in extreme old age,
rediscover how to break the Illusion.
        Artists and drug addicts also hold tremendous power, for their
non-associative thinking patterns threaten to break down the
Illusion at every turn.  In the Jail of Night, madness and dreams
have the power to become flesh.  Once loosed into our world,
however, they are under nobody's control.
        This is the fifth and final chapter of the Jail of Night, an
alternative World of Darkness set in the cosmology of Kult.  Kult is
a rich and disturbing world in its own right, and readers are
encouraged to purchase and explore the original rules for more
detailed information.

The Call

        A postal worker wakes up one day, loads his weapons, dons
his flak jacket and annihilates his coworkers in a fit of explosive
rage.  He has seen the Truth: perhaps he discovered the Postmaster
was an azghoul and couldn't be sure who else might be one.  Maybe
they were all blindly serving Kether, packaging lies in the guise of
commercial circulars or even forged personal mail from "friends."
        Elsewhere, a hard working ex-military man decides he's heard
enough lies from the foul beings in power in this country.  When he
finds a gateway to Geburah's citadel in the heart of an Oklahoma
federal building, the only right thing to do is to destroy it and the
lictors guarding it.  He has decided there is no other way to protect
himself or his people.
        We are a society on the edge of chaos.  Even housewives and
mild-mannered teachers exhibit the symptoms of what the
authorities deem "insanity."  In these final days of violence and
madness, the Truth bubbles to the surface and cannot be contained.
        Every day, more people are pushed to the edge of the Illusion
and beyond. They have discovered the lies of our modern society:
we aren't safe in our beds, the government doesn't care about our
best interests, the future is darker than today.
        While Mages discover the presence of the Illusion and make a
conscious effort to venture beyond, changelings often wander into
the Truth by mistake.  Sometimes they are born with their madness,
when organic mental disorders go undetected by the lictors in the
hospitals.  Other times it takes extreme psychic shock, either sudden
or gradual, to break our grasp of the Demiurge's "reality."  Victims
of ambitious magickal cults who are broken by their foul
Awakening processes often wander off to become changelings.
        Finally, Societies of Madness (see below) expand their ranks
by dragging off innocent people.  The Societies are generally
capricious about their choices of recruits, but some seek out the
loved ones -- or enemies -- of their members.  The victims can be
children or adults. Centuries ago, the Societies preferred children,
sometimes replacing the victim with a child whom they had already
Awakened.  This was the source of ancient tales of the changelings,
and the name that bemused Society members now give themselves.
        The Societies inflict unspeakable acts of physical and
psychological torture on their unwilling recruits to break the Lie's
hold over them. Hallucinogenic drugs, starvation and violent group
rape are all common methods.  Every Society favors some methods
over others, often corresponding to the nature of their own disorders
(see Enslavement, sidebar).

Disorder Types

        Changelings in the Jail of Night are broadly categorized by the
nature of their "disorder."  Once awakened, a changeling easily
perceives others of their kind. They can always tell when someone
is faking their condition.
        Lictors in the medical community look for common symptoms
of Awakening: Schizophrenia ("hallucinations," or facets of the
Truth the person has begun to perceive), bizarre delusions (usually
about fantasical or terrifying creatures) and paranoia.  The
symptoms are deliberately broad, so they can justify
institutionalizing virtually anyone on the street.  However, those
who are truly awakened are fairly rare.  Those they diagnose are
quickly "cured," often with drugs but sometimes with Lore magick
disguised as therapy.
        Disorders progress in intensity from children, to adolescents,
and finally to full-blown psychotics.  Left untreated, a changeling's
disorder will completely consume him, breaking him free of the
Illusion.  Very powerful psychotics become Messiahs (below).
        Phobics: These people often have crippling and
broad-spanning phobias.  To hide and protect themselves from the
object of their phobia, Phobics are known to actually transform
themselves into non-human entities (animals, usually) in later
stages of their disorder.  When confronted, Phobics are pathological
liars.
        Addictives: These people are so powerfully addicted to acts or
substances -- often many at once -- that they easily become violent
in their drive to acquire more.  Addictives seeking sex often resort
to violent rape, psychological subjugation of semi-willing "slaves,"
and child or elderly molestation.  Traditional street drugs are often
not strong enough for an Addictive once they have begun to
awaken, so they seek out progressively more powerful substances
from private labs and exotic locales.
        Paranoids: Often linked with delusional narcissism, psychotic
grandiosity and bouts of deep depression, these people are obsessed
with protecting themselves from threats they have perceived from
beyond the Jail.  Many of these people believe they must fulfill
some kind of mission, others believe themselves great leaders. They
often impose bizarre codes of conduct on themselves and others. 
Paranoids are usually the leaders of the Societies of Madness.
        Giants:  These changelings are usually the result of an organic
disorder that results in massive physical size and mental
retardation, although similar symptoms can be induced with drugs
or experimental gene therapy. Huge and stupid, these trolls are easy
to manipulate and are favored whipping-boys of the Societies of
Madness.  Because of their reduced mental capacity, they cannot
understand the intricate Lie of our reality.
        Borderliners: Mentioned in Part I: Metropolis by Night, these
people are driven to awakening by their proximity to Metropolis. 
Constant exposure to the energies created when the Illusion breaks
has resulted in physical symptoms like mottled grey skin and
bulging eyes; they are sometimes described as "snake-like." 
Psychologically, Borderliners are usually paranoid and always
schizophrenic,as their minds continue to pluck out facets of the
Truth from their surroundings.
        A similar condition is often found in rural areas as well, where
the influence of the Gaia god-realm is strong.  These people are
called Kinfolk by the alien shapechangers who lurk in the
countryside (see part II: The Apocalypse is Over).
        Compulsives: Unable to control their primitive urges,
Compulsives venture beyond the Illusion because the Lie can't stop
them.  These changelings learn to live with their disorder early,
sometimes inventing tales of grand adventure to cover for the
trouble they find themselves in.  Many Compulsives lose the ability
to discern between their tales and reality, resulting in complex
delusions.
        Autistics: These people are incapable of relating to other
humans and withdraw from our reality at an early age.  Many are
violent if taunted. Almost all turn to intermediate methods of
communicating, like computers or art.  Autistics are almost always
diagnosed in childhood, and have the clearest and earliest vision of
the Truth.  They are closely monitored by the lictors.
        Psychopaths:  Given to violent outbursts and paranoid
delusions, psychopaths are tremendously dangerous and
unpredictable.  As their condition degenerates, psychopaths slowly
transform themselves into more combat-efficient forms, sometimes
growing rows of shark-like teeth or becoming massively muscular. 
Psychopaths often participate in inhuman practices like cannibalism
and torture.

Societies of Madness

        A changeling can always tell when another has also seen the
Truth.  They realize there is strength in numbers, so the awakened
seek out one another and gather for mutual protection.  These
gatherings sometimes formalize and consider themselves a Society
of Madness.
        A small Society is usually very disorganized, little more than a
motley of maniacs joined together for camaraderie.  The group
usually select a central figure who becomes a Prince of Fools, a
particularly powerful changeling with the charisma and force of will
to keep the Society together.
        These small Societies can be very dangerous to mortals within
the Jail. They sometimes snatch children or adults from their beds
and add them to their retinue.  Others go on wild rampages through
cities, seeking out and murdering any being they consider a threat. 
While they usually destroy only beings from Metropolis or the
Inferno, sometimes their madness leads them to victimize innocents
as well.
        Some Societies share slaves from whom they extract power
and servitude (see Enslavement, sidebar).  There are numerous
cases of small towns in remote locations like New England, Utah
and New Mexico that are entirely populated by Societies and their
slaves.
        There are also better organized, even wide-spanning, Societies
of Madness. These groups are well financed, well organized and are
often accepted as pillars of their communities.  Often based around
a religious belief or message, the largest and most influential
Societies of Madness are led by the Messiahs.

The Messiahs

        A changeling continues to awaken the longer he lives with his
"disorder." Many, if not most, people in the early stages of
awakening are caught and treated -- reeducated -- by the lictors well
before they become a threat.
        However, there are those who have seen the Truth is its
entirety.  They are free of the Jail and have overcome their madness. 
They are free to travel through Metropolis, the Inferno, and any
number of unknown alien realms. They are free of the curse of
death, cleansing and rebirth.  They have regained their divinity.
        These fully Awakened beings call themselves Messiahs. 
Messiahs believe they are the Demiurge reborn into our world and
perhaps they are, in a sense.  Messiahs are fragments of the God in
all of us awakened.
        Messiahs use their tremendous influence to surround
themselves with followers.  They help these followers find their way
beyond the Illusion; often, they choose other awakened changelings
to become their closest apostles.  The followers also act as the first
line of defense from lictors who would destroy the Messiah.
        Many Messiahs have such powerful and wide-spanning flocks
that they become charismatic leaders among unawakened mortals. 
A typical structure for this kind of organization might be a series of
churches that serve the unawakened followers, a secret society
element that draws followers about to awaken from the flock, and
an inner circle that is in direct contact with the Messiah.
        A true Messiah is rare in our world.  Most disappear for many
hundreds of years to explore the True Reality beyond the jail.  Those
who remain have either been awakened for a long time and long for
human company, or have just awakened and have accepted the
responsibility of awakening the rest of Humanity from its sleep.

The Outer Forces

        In the Jail of Night, there are countless cults awaiting the
Apocalypse, the collapse of the Illusion and the freeing of
Humanity.  Many Traditions of scholarly Mages have a similar
agenda, but they want to induce a mass awakening throughout the
world.
        The truth is, it appears humanity is slowly escaping this world
on its own. Violence and madness is on the rise.  Religious cults are
growing in popularity.  Telecommunication technologies are
loosening our grasp of solid, mundane reality.  To paraphrase Eliot,
our world will end not with a bang, but a whimper.
        And there's not a damned thing the Archons can do to stop it.
        Clearly, our jailers are losing the fight.  Some, like Tiphareth
and Malkuth, are actively helping Humanity break free of the Jail. 
Where Tiphareth once controlled art and creativity so it would not
lead us to the truth, she now supports creators who produce works
that challenge our assumptions about the world.  With the
assistance of Malkuth, our race is gradually losing its grip on its
sanity.  The changeling population grows and grows.
        The Death Angels have a tremendous interest in the
changelings.  Since their goal is the destruction of the Illusion and
the domination of Metropolis, the Death Angels and their razides
often involve themselves in the Societies of Madness.
        The Death Angels most active in changeling society include
Chagidiel, who ensures fathers assault their children and plant the
seed of madness early; Sathariel, the mother of chaos who dissolves
personalities and encourages destructive impulses; Golab, the
torturer who inflicts pain without teaching; and Gamaliel, who
subverts the Demiurge's rules and taboos surrounding sex and
passion (see part IV: Necropolis: Metropolis).
        Death Angels or their servants are commonly involved with
the enslavement of mortals by a Society of Madness (see sidebar:
Enslavement).  Under their influence, enslaved mortals often
become willing servants to the whims of the changelings.
        Besides allowing progressively greater release from the Jail,
madness often projects itself in our world as a physical form.  These
chimerae are borne directly from the nightmares of the afflicted. 
Once loose, not even the creator can stop a chimerical creature.  See
the sidebar in Part III: Ascension is a Lie for some ideas of
madness-born creatures.
        Anybody can receive the Call and rediscover the divine nature
within them. Discovering the truth may drive us crazy, but at least
we'll be free.

Sidebar:

Enslavement

        Any creation or power is possible if a changeling can imagine
it.  The only limits are her own imagination and the strength of the
Illusion.  A changeling thus gains power through expanding her
imagination and weakening the Illusion.
        There are several ways for a changeling to do this.  The most
common is to enslave dreamers who help the changeling tear down
the local reality.
        Artists and other of creators are common slaves for
changelings.  They are forced to produce progressively more
challenging works for the benefit of their patrons, who glean new
ideas from them while slowly driving the creator insane.
        Other changelings tear at the illusion by assaulting sexual
taboos. Addictives enslave sex servants whom they abuse in new
and horrific ways, trying to find the act of violence or humiliation
that will finally break the slave.  Of course, there are diminishing
returns to this practice as the Addictive and her slaves become more
jaded.  Societies based around sex slavery often have to combine
their unspeakable acts with drug and psychological abuse.
        Some Societies resort to pharmaceuticals as an immediate way
to induce non-associative thinking and quick insanity in their
slaves.  While hallucinogens are popular and efficient, the madness
induced by withdrawal from highly addictive substances provides a
fine feast as well.  The lictors counter this by prescribing
mood-flattening drugs like Lithium and Prozac.
        Finally, some Societies induce madness in their slaves by more
convoluted and subtle means.  Called "Gaslighting" after the 1944
movie, one or more changelings gang up on an unawakened mortal
for weeks or months to break their sense of stability through
trickery, lying our sometimes magic. Sidebar:  Lore Magick The
Realm of Time and Space
        Time and space are lies.  They are a way for our hobbled
intellects to understand our surroundings.  Other creatures can
perceive time and space in many different ways.  We are just
beginning to understand this through mathematics.
        An awakened human can see eternity and can play with
dimensions as he pleases.  He can make his internal clock speed up
or slow down, and in later stages even travel forward or back.  He
can also shorten or extend distances between places, eventually
teleporting through space and time.
        The lictors are armed with Lore magicks that allow them
similar control over time and space.  Some lictors hunt awakened
humans who are on the loose in history.

Level 1

        See Through Time and Space -- the conjurer can create portals
to other times and places through which he can see and even walk. 
The conjurer must be completely familiar with the target.
        Manipulate Time and Space -- the conjurer can manipulate a
person's perception of time and space.

Level 2

        Summon Time/Space Creature -- the conjurer calls up a
creature from the realm of Time or Space. Examples are an Aetat
and an Aspectus.  Aetats are sinewy, shadowy creatures who detect
deviations in human time perception and devours the cause. 
Aspecti are flickering, humanoid beings who possess a sleeping or
helpless person and force them to perceive reality in greater than 3
dimensions, thereby making them vanish from this reality.
        Bind Time/Space Creature -- the conjurer can bind a create
from the realm of Time or Space.

Level 3

        Expel Time/Space Creature -- the conjurer can expel a creature
from the realm of Time or Space.
        Exorcise Time/Space Creature -- the conjurer can expel a
creature from the realm of Time or Space.

Level 4

        True Vision -- the conjurer can see and hear an event which he
knows has happened at any point in history.
        Psychometrism -- the conjurer reads the past and future of an
object by touching it.

Level 5

        Find Object -- the conjurer can find any object or person in any
place or time.  Must be extremely specific.

A special note from Paul: THIS DOES NOT PUT THE SERIES IN
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.  I STILL OWN ALL RIGHTS TO THIS
SERIES. IF I FIND THE SERIES POSTED ANYWHERE ELSE
YOU WILL BE WRITTEN OUT OF THE INHERITANCE!

Copyright 1995 - Paul Beakley.  If you wish to redistribute or
repost this file, please contact the writer at muaddib@mailhost.
primenet.com