The Jail of Night:
Ascension is a Lie

by Paul Beakley

        The Demiurge damned humanity with the creation of our
world.  But he didn't get everyone.
        There have always been those who escaped the curse of our
Creator, who have understood that reality extends far beyond our
perceptions.  Those beings, the Mages, have escaped the
Demiurge's plan to trap humanity in the Illusion, our prison.
        Ascension -- the very notion of evolving to a higher plane -- is
a lie. Utter nonsense.  Before the Demiurge cast us into this world
(see part I: Metropolis by Night), all of humanity had the power to
create our own realities.  We were gods, and a threat to the
Demiurge. So he cast us out.
        The Mages just want to go home.
        The stories of Mages in the Jail of Night are about secrets. 
Secrets bought, secrets discovered, secrets shared.  Secret societies. 
Secret knowledge.  Forbidden knowledge.  A Mage's thirst for
knowledge, his drive for the Truth, often means higher ideals easily
fall to the wayside.  The offer of knowledge and power from a shady
character in some foreign market may be more compelling to a
Mage who has seen a glimpse of the Truth, for once they have seen
a glimpse they must discover it all.  This hubris is surely the
quickest downfall of an indiscreet Mage -- and the greatest threat to
the Archons.
        The following is the truth about the Illusion that imprisons
humanity and the madmen and heroes who seek to escape it,
dominate it or destroy it.
        This is the third part 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 Truth

        There has always been Metropolis.  Metropolis is heaven and
hell and Eden, the primordial city of humanity's birth.  The origin of
this place is impossible to know.  As far as the most scholarly and
aged Mages can tell, it is the origin of everything.
        The most powerful being in Metropolis is now called the
Demiurge.  It was perhaps always the most powerful of the gods of
that city, the rest of whom have become mere humans in our reality. 
Ruling at the behest of the Demiurge were ten Archons, each
representing a different aspect of reality.
        The Demiurge and the Archons are not so much physical
beings as concepts incarnate.  In Metropolis, the Archons rule from
massive citadels that rise hundreds of miles above the city's
blackened skyline.  As far as anyone can tell, these citadels are the
Archons themselves.
        After the Demiurge invaded Gaia to create the Illusion most
humans now call reality (see part II: The Apocalypse is Over), It
charged the ten Archons to rule over it.  Each Archon represented
different aspects of the new reality -- war, leadership, creation,
justice and so on -- and ruled a different continent.  Each influences
our reality through its Lictors (see part I: Metropolis by Night) and
human servants.
        That all changed when the Demiurge vanished.
        In the ensuing war to fill the literal power vacuum, four of the
Archons -- Hod, Yesod, Chokmah and Chesed -- were destroyed or
cast into other dimensions.  The ideals represented by these
Archons also died in our world: Hod the executioner and punisher,
whose foul concentration camps and torture chambers were finally
exposed during World War II, and today are further exposed by
organizations like Amnesty International (which, of course, is an
Archon plot as well); Yesod the founder, the Archon of capitalism
whose realm of influence has been taken over and corrupted by the
Death Angels; Chokmah the patriarch, the creator of religion and
worship whose true followers become fewer in number every day;
and Chesed the helper, the Archon of compassion and divine
forgiveness.  Nobody has assumed Chesed's role in the Jail of
Night.
        The remaining Archons today struggle for supremacy in our
reality and the greater reality of Metropolis.  The surviving Archons
are:
        Kether: the Crown, or the Ruler.  Kether was the Demiurge's
most trusted and favored Archon.  It represents leadership and
nobility in our reality. Under the Demiurge Kether was most
influential in Europe, where it maintained the power of royalty into
the Industrial Age.  Today, the Technocracy is Kether's primary
pawn (see below).
        Binah: the Black Madonna.  Binah promotes the power of
family, relatives and groups over the individual.  Binah ruled over
eastern Europe and other hotbeds of communism.  Binah is often
behind the machinations of the Kindred (see part I: Metropolis by
Night) and the fraternal traditions.  By promoting allegiance over
so-called Ascension, Binah can distract the Mages from their true
goal.
        Geburah: the Judge, the merciless dispenser of justice. 
Geburah encourages stern and rigid laws.  He supports justice
throughout the world, especially in the far-right political factions of
the US and Europe.  In the Jail of Night, Geburah's servants have
infiltrated the justice and law enforcement agencies of many
countries, working with Kether's Technocratic toadies to utterly
crush dissention.  Geburah's lictors also manipulate the various
traditions into becoming more conservative and militant in their
fraternal allegiances.
        Tiphareth: the Spider, the spinner of webs.  Tiphareth is a
patron to both artists and criminals, controlling creativity and
interpersonal relations. Under the Demiurge, Tiphareth controlled
art so humanity couldn't use it to escape the Illusion.  She has since
stopped this and is one of humanity's main supporters.  Of course,
since she's the Archon of treachery, even this support may be a lie. 
Tiphareth's schemes are so convoluted that Mages have spent
lifetimes tracking her influence in this reality to no avail.
        Netzach: the Victor.  Under the Demiurge, he kept humanity
occupied by encouraging competition and enmity.  He promotes war
and tests of strength of all kinds.  He manifests strongly in the
war-torn regions of the world: the Middle East, Latin America and
Africa.  Netzach's servants dominate the world's armies, providing
military might to the Technocracy.
        Malkuth: the Rebel.  Malkuth has always been closest to
humanity for the Illusion is a manifestation of it, much as the
pre-invaded Earth was a manifestation of Gaia.  Now Malkuth
seeks to destroy what she has wrought through support of both
magick and technology.  She wants humanity to escape the jail by
any means necessary.  Malkuth supports rebellious Mages,
renegade Technomancers and Awakened orphans, but her true
patronage is of the Marauders.
        These names are purely man-made, of course.  They result
from centuries of research by both Mages and scholars into the true
construction of the universe.  The study of this cosmology is known
as the Kaballah, but it has barely scratched the surface of the truth.
        Archons impose their will on our reality in absolutely ruthless
ways. While Netzach's creation of endless war may seem "evil" to
humans,  for example, we must understand that conflict is the very
essence of Netzach's being.  It cannot help but inflict war and
suffering because that is its role in reality.  It is conflict incarnate.
        Even in the absence of the Demiurge, it is in the best interests
of most of the Archons to keep humanity locked in the Jail. 
However, decades of neglect have led to the slow collapse of the
Jail, allowing humans to become empowered and rediscover the
innate abilities they had before the exile. Once the core of our
divinity, this power is now called magick.

Magick

The Power

        Magick is the power to alter reality.  Before our exile, all
humans had this power.  The first and foremost function of the
Demiurge's Illusion was to strip us of this power.  Now, this inner
power is the mysterious "Sixth Lore" of magick (see the lore magick
sidebars throughout the series).  Not even the foul and powerful
lictors have magick comparable to Awakened humans.  By design,
lictors are a part of the fabric of the Illusion, so their Lore magicks
simply work within "back doors" the Archons allow in the way the
Illusion operates.
        The Demiurge set the rules of reality when It created the
Illusion.  Now, Mages spend lifetimes learning how to alter these
rules or operate around them entirely.  Paradox is the defense
mechanism the Demiurge built into the Illusion to deal with
humans who might begin to find their way out of the Illusion.  It
was intended to destroy the offender, but with the disappearance of
the Demiurge, magick has become progressively easier.  Now it is
up to individual Archons to deal with serious transgressions of the
Illusion.  In these cases, they send servants directly from their
Citadels to deal with the transgressor.  Mages call these bizarre
creatures paradox spirits.  See part I: Metropolis by Night for a
selection of Metropolitan creatures that may pay a visit to an
unfortunate Mage.

The Spheres

        There are a few important changes to the way Spheres operate
in the Jail of Night.  These reflect the dynamics of the Illusion the
Demiurge has created.
        Spirit: The first level of this sphere allows the Mage to see
beyond the Illusion into either Metropolis or the Gaia-realm (see
part II: The Apocalypse is Over).  The second level is similar to
Mage magick, with the clarification that calling the creatures you'll
end up with from Metropolis or the Inferno is often suicidal.  The
third level allows the Mage to entirely step out of the Illusion and
into Metropolis or the Inferno (see part IV: Necropolis: Metropolis). 
The fourth level of Spirit does not allow the creation of "spirits",
since they don't actually exist, but it does allow the Mage to break
down the local Illusion completely -- or to further solidify it. The
fifth level of Spirit allows travel to the other realms of the Jail of
Night: the realms of Madness, Passion and Dream.
        Prime: This sphere controls the fabric of the Illusion and the
meta-energy the Demiurge used to create it.  All levels of Prime
work as they do in Mage, with the suggestion that any Prime
paradox is doubled or even tripled, as any number of Archons detect
the Illusion is being altered from the inside.  Since fear, madness,
passion and rage all threaten the Demiurge's Illusion, a Mage
inducing these primal emotions -- in himself or others -- can tap
into the resulting energies as coincidental (that is, non-vulgar)
Prime sources.  This is why sacrifices work, and why the practice of
sacrifice was stopped by the lictors in the biblical era.  They allow
the Mage to threaten the power of God.
        Pattern: Life, Matter and Forces all work as per Mage within
the Illusion, because they alter the patterns that comprise the
Illusion.  In Metropolis or some other realm, all pattern magicks
must be conjunctional with Spirit 1 because the Mage must be able
to perceive True Patterns beyond the lies within the Illusion.  This
means an unruly Mage is stripped of her power if she should
unwittingly wander out of our reality without the power to adjust
her perception of True Reality.

The Awakening

        Mages come upon the secrets of our reality in many ways. 
Some explore the dark Lore magicks, studying dusty tomes and
buying secrets from self-styled occultists.  When all five Lores have
been studied and mastered, it is said, the mind is unlocked and
Reality presents itself in its true form.  Those whose sanity remains
intact are then Awakened.
        Outside forces can also try Awakening a subject.  The methods
of externally Awakening the inner power of humanity are similar to
seeing through the Illusion.  It requires a powerful psychic shock as
through extended torture or sexual perversion, mind-expanding
drugs, bizarre medical experiments or a lifetime of psychological
conditioning.  Many of these methods drive people mad long before
they are Awakened.
        Those who survive the Awakening process are often offended
to the core of their being when they discover the truth behind reality. 
They join of one of the Traditions and work to expose the Lie that
has been imposed on humanity.
        Others use their new powers for personal gain.  This is
extraordinarily easy, but their manipulations are eventually sensed
by the Archons or Death Angels.  They are either recruited into the
Technocracy or become Nephandi.

Who's Who

The Traditions

        Mages gather into fraternal orders, or Traditions, that are
similar to those in the World of Darkness.  However, they do not
explore personal views of reality so much as they study small
subsets of the one true magick within the Jail of Night.  Also,
because of the incredible secrecy required to avoid the wrath of the
various powers watching humanity, these orders often are entirely
oblivious to one another.  Leaders within sects may know one
another, but new members may go years without realizing they're a
member at all.  Practicing Mages keep their secrets dear.
        All Mages, by their nature, are aware of the one true model of
reality behind our Illusion.  Ascension is a lie, and the traditions
know it.
        Akashic Brotherhood: this sect of Mages is dedicated to
unlocking the potentials of the self from within.  By breaking
through the Illusion from within through extreme mental and
physical discipline, Akashics often avoid the attentions of the
lictors.  Despite their wariness of the powers who watch them, some
Akashic sects do come to rely on the patronage of a Forgotten God.
        Celestial Chorus: This group worships the Demiurge even in
Its absence. Archons or cunning Death Angels sometimes trick
worship out of small sects of Choristers who believe they are the
One.  These beings draw power from these groups, and send their
lictors or incarnates to direct their worship and work within the
Illusion.
        There is a sect of the Chorus dedicated to tracking the location
of the Demiurge, sometimes sending Mages into Metropolis to
delve the depths of the Abyss.  None have ever come back.
        Cult of Ecstacy: Only by achieving an altered state of
consciousness through all forms of deviance -- sex, drugs,
experiences of all kinds -- can the Illusion be shattered.  Cultists in
the Jail of Night are drawn to the promise of untold pleasures and
experiences that await them in Metropolis.
        In the Jail of Night, there is also a subset of the Cult of Ecstacy
that seeks out faster transport to Metropolis: the Cult of Agony. 
These disturbing Mages use extreme depravity, torture and madness
to break down the false morality and taboos that uphold the Illusion. 
They also seek to break the Illusion of others, dragging innocents
into their midnight rites of blood, drugs and punishment.  Cultists
of Agony are also most likely to receive the patronage of a Death
Angel, although many operate of their own accord.
        The archon Tiphareth is most often associated with the Cult of
Ecstacy and its subcults.  In addition to the spread of personal
freedom and artistic expression, the Cult plays a role in her
long-term -- but inscrutable -- goals.
        Dreamspeakers:  This tradition explores the many realms
beyond this reality through perception alteration, visionquests and
such.  They commune with beings from the realms of Dream,
Madness and Passion (see sidebars), hoping to glean a secret about
our imprisonment.  This often exposes them to manipulation by
outside forces, but the tradition members perform many rituals and
oaths to their brethren to fight against this.  Dreamspeakers in the
Jail of Night often use hallucinogenic drugs, fasting or meditation to
achieve their altered state of consciousness.  Unlike their Cultist
brethren, though, their rituals are not so self-indulgent.
        Euthanatos: Many of these Mages are under the influence of
Death Angels who are either looking for souls who have escaped
back into the Illusion, or seek to expand their armies of the dead. 
Euthanatos magi often receive compensation for their services to
these Infernal beings.
        Other Euthanatos understand the deeper truth of the collapsing
Illusion. They cycle promising but undeveloped souls through the
Inferno in the hopes that they will spontaneously Awaken as
Orphans in their next incarnation. For these Euthanatos, the fact of
the Illusion is the worst sin of a flawed and dead God.  There is no
love lost between these Magi and the Celestial Chorus.
        Order of Hermes: This tradition has dedicated itself to
determining the true nature of Reality.  In the Jail of Night, they are
descended from ancient cults that first uncovered humanity's
forgotten memories of the Archons.  In many ways, the Hermetics
are the most attuned to the way reality works but they are often too
wrapped up in the academic study of cosmology.
        Some Hermetics, however, actively seek to travel to Metropolis
in search of ancient secrets or clues to their imprisonment.  Prized
locations in Metropolis include the Archons' Citadels, the Machine
City and the fabled Metropolis Maze (see part II: The Apocalypse is
Over).
        Orphans: These self-awakening Mages are surely a sign that
humanity is regaining the divinity it had while in Metropolis, and a
sign that the Illusion is quickly collapsing.  Orphans who are not
careful about their Awakening often attract the attentions of
Archons who would destroy them, or Death Angels who would
enslave them through brainwashing, more powerful magick or
simply torture.  Unwitting orphans often prove to be very receptive
to meat hooks and piano wire.
        Sons of Ether: Technology, science and learning will shatter
the Illusion and set humanity free.  These tradition Mages differ
from the Technocracy, though, because they strive to keep their
ranks free from the manipulations of Lictors who would seek to
redirect their discoveries.  Rather than using technology to take over
the Jail as the Technocracy would do, they seek to break through the
Illusion entirely.
        Verbena: Many Forgotten Gods (like Gaia) still hold great
power over this reality.  Verbena covens are often organized around
worship of Forgotten Gods (see part II: The Apocalypse is Over). 
They can call on the power of these gods through specialized
applications of Spirit magick, much like the barabbi Mages receive
special attention from their Death Angel masters.
        Virtual Adepts: This group is very similar to their counterparts
in the World of Darkness.  They are technomancers who use
computer technology and virtual reality to help manipulate or break
through the Illusion.
        The Digital Web extends to both the Illusion and Metropolis,
as well as the Inferno (see part 4: Necropolis: Metropolis).  Young
or inexperienced VAs will still only perceive icons that are
connected to the Illusion (corporate stacks, other VAs, Technocracy
constructs), but a few have stumbled onto the addresses of ancient
sites in the Mirror Halls or the Machine City.  Perhaps there are
beings in the Living City projecting their icons into the Web as
well...

The Technocracy

        It is no surprise that the power of the Technocracy expanded
when the Demiurge vanished from Metropolis, simultaneous with
the Industrial Revolution.  The cause and effect relationship
between these events is the subject of endless discussion among
both tradition and technocratic Mages. Did the Demiurge's
disappearance allow the Technocracy to expand their power, or did
the expansion of human science and reason drive out -- or destroy --
our Maker?
        The Technocracy is an organization divided.  There are
technocrats and technomancers who would simply take control of
the Jail for their own gain rather than escape it.  To this end, the
Technocracy is a powerful ally to the wishes of many of the
Archons, especially Kether, the keeper of the Illusion until the
Demiurge returns.
        Another faction of the Technocracy, perhaps following the
wishes of the original visionaries and industrialists, would wrest
control of the Illusion from the Archons and establish a new
Metropolis.  These technomancers receive the support of Malkuth,
but sometimes fall under the influence of the Death Angels with
promises of a future Apocalypse that will either destroy the Illusion
or the Archons themselves.
        The ranks of the Technocracy are rife with lictors.  Since there
are so many conflicting interests among the Archons, there is often
internecine conflict among their lictors.  The rebellious Malkuth, for
example, manipulates the Technocracy into providing more
advanced technology to the masses in the hope that it will help set
humanity free.  However, it's a delicate balance and the wishes of
the other Archons often warps Malkuth's will.  Netzach may take
Malkuth's will for more advanced technology and introduce new
weapons of war -- especially push-button war, which insulates
humans from the horrors of mass destruction.
        The Technocracy works closely with its direct-attack division,
Pentex (see part II: The Apocalypse is Over).  Both organizations
seek to bend the Illusion to their vision -- while Pentex seeks only to
tear down the Illusion (per the instructions of its Technocratic
masters), the Technocracy seeks to build a better world than the
Demiurge has given us.

The Nephandi

        As Mages work within the reality created by the Archons, the
Nephandi serve those who would tear down the Archons' work: the
Death Angels.
        Dark reflections of the Demiurge and Its Archons, the Death
Angels rule from their dark Citadels in the Inferno.  For every
Archon there is its doppelganger Death Angel.  However, Death
Angels now outnumber Archons with the disappearance of the four.
(See part IV: Necropolis: Metropolis for more information on the
Death Angels).
        Nephandi follow the Dark Path, receiving their power through
the Death Angels, whereas true Mages follow the Light Path,
learning to empower themselves to alter reality. They are often
trained in the Lore magicks (see sidebars) before they attain
knowledge of sphere magick.  As such, they are utterly formidable
opponents to both the traditions and the Technocracy.
        The motivations of the Nephandi are based on the Death Angel
they serve. Some may seduce tradition Mages away from their
fraternal orders, while others seek to corrupt the innocent, preparing
in life armies of the future dead.  The procurement of souls is
remarkably easy in these final days before the final collapse of the
Illusion, as humans instinctively detect that reality is on the brink of
destruction.

The Marauders

        Many people are driven mad when they Awaken and
subsequently discover the truth of their reality.  This may happen at
the moment of Awakening, or after many years of exposure to the
alien forces behind the Illusion.
        These Mages become Marauders.  Of all the denizens of the
Jail of Night, they are the greatest threat to the Archons for they tear
down the Illusion for themselves and everyone around them with
staggering ease.
        The madness a Marauder suffers insinuates itself into the
fabric of the Illusion around them.  These strange zones follow the
Marauder around like bubbles of subjective reality, often driving
onlookers insane as well. Creatures from the Realm of Madness
often slip into our reality because of Marauders (see sidebar).
        Because of their unpredictable nature and vast power,
Marauders are the enemies of all the Archons (except Malkuth,
naturally), the Technocracy and most of the Tradition Mages. 
Although Marauders work to the same end as other Mages, their
effect on the Jail is too unpredictable and dangerous to Sleepers and
other Mages.
        Marauders make excellent pawns for the Death Angels and
their Nephandi masterminds.  Through years of cultivation and
brainwashing, a Nephandus may transform a Marauder into a
"reality bomb," unleashing Illusion-shattering power just as the
Death Angels strike.

Special thanks to Anders Sandberg and Bill Bishop for their helpful
brainstorming and playtesting.

Next issue: Death, Death Angels and the Inferno.

Sidebar:

Lore Magic:

The Realm of Madness

        Madness plays an important role in the Jail of Night.  Mages
are often driven mad by the Truth they discover through their
Awakening, as unawakened humans are also driven mad by what
lies beyond the Illusion.  Madness has a very tangible effect in this
world: it can unwittingly summon creatures from the realms of
madness or warp reality itself to suit the vision of the madman (as
Marauders do).
        The realm of Madness is a creation of both Mages and
Sleepers to create new lies to explain the snatches of the Truth they
have seen beyond the Illusion.  Extremely insane people can
actually project their madness into the surrounding reality.
        Madmen sometimes summon creatures from the realm of
Madness.  One of these is the Alucinade, a two-dimensional
creature that assumes any shape, human or animal, and pursues the
madman as long as it exists.  Another creature of madness is the
Amentoraz, a creature that is attracted to mental institutions and
other gatherings of psychotics.  It devours Willpower and thoughts
until the victim is a vegetable.  Amentoraz is a formless being,
taking on human appearance only at night.  For all intents and
purposes, the Amentoraz is a person's Shadow incarnate (see part
IV: Necropolis: Metropolis).  These creatures are always
idiosyncratic to the particular madness of their victim.
        When a person has entirely submerged into madness, they
cease to be human. They are physically transformed, becoming
larger and walking on all four extremeties.  These Furies sometimes
grow claws, tentacles or sharp teeth to defend against their endless
struggle with creatures of madness.  Furies cannot control their own
vision past the Illusion, and are hurled between different worlds at
random.
        The difficulty of Madness Lore magic is ranked in five levels.
A character can learn spells up to their knowledge level in Rituals.

Level 1

        Unshroud Illusion -- the conjurer can see through the Illusion,
or open a portal into Metropolis.
        Manipulate Senses -- the conjurer can alter the subject's senses
in any way he sees fit.

Level 2

        Sumon Creature of Madness -- the conjurer can summon a
creature of madness. Examples include the Alucinade, Amentoraz
or Furies (see above).
        Bind Creature of Madness -- the conjurer can bind any of the
above creatures of madness.

Level 3

        Expel Creature of Madness -- the conjurer can drive away a
creature of madness that wanders this reality.
        Exorcise Creature of Madness -- the conjurer can drive away a
creature of madness which is possessing a human being, a place or
an object.
        Madness Walk -- the conjurer can physically enter other
peoples' hallucinations or the realm of madness itself.  While the
spell is active, the conjurer can freely move himself, other people
and objects from this world into the hallucination and back.

Level 4

        Insane Killer -- a more advanced version of Manipulate
Senses, the conjurer creates an illusion of the most terrifying thing
the subject can imagine. If the victim believes the illusion, she takes
full damage from it.
        Alter Own Body -- the conjurer can transform his appearance,
sex and race, temporarily enhancing attributes or tripling weight. 
The changes last 18 hours.

Level 5

        Contort Other -- the conjurer can change another person's
body, changing their appearance, sex or race over the course of a
month.  The changes are permanent.

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