The Institute of Contemplation – Code and The Four Ways
The Promise
The mind is a personal place wherein the thoughts of a being are born. These thoughts govern the action of the body in which that mind dwells for such a short time. The balance of the mind allows the thoughts that are right to prosper in the soil of the mind and those that are morally ambiguous to fall into the scorched earth of memory. Those ambiguous thoughts are not ones that are chosen but they remain there as untaken choices and when uncovered cause each of us guilt. Whether they are withholding food from the hungry or murder for greed they are not acted upon. It is our responsibility, when we enter the minds of others, to never judge based on what we see, never stir the passions of an individual one way or the other and to allow the individual to thrive.
The Pledge of the Institute
The Institute has no higher, magical governing body such as the Colleges or the Churches and as such it requires a higher policy than simply a code that belongs to the senior members above the tenth rank to whom all others will show deference. The pledge outlines their duties that stand alongside the Code:
Ratification of any new Institute Policy
Delineation of any training outside of standard guild policy.
Ratification of any policy that crosses the Golden Table
Expenditure of Crystal Table Resources
Control and reclamation of any Psionic artefacts
Control of the Variscite Mines and associated Subject matter.
The Institute Expects
Full respect to all Guilds regardless of which you owe affiliation to.
The adherence to the laws of the Institute and the land.
The Code of the Institute
You will show all deference to the rigid guild system of seniority showing respect to and obeying the instructions of those above you in the chain of command.
Those in positions of seniority will not abuse their power nor their subordinates, tolerance of such action will be short and retribution swift.
Members are encouraged not to act outside of their departments unless absolutely necessary. Where it is necessary you are required to report your action to department heads at the earliest opportunity.
Every Discipline or Talent that is taught to you represents your ability to manipulate the mind and the Astral Web that exists around us all. Once you have learnt to control that weave you are expected to use that power responsibly. Psionic power is not for show or the entertainment of the common folk.
Exploration of The Astral remains one of the major directions and codes of the Institute; our further understanding of this phenomena is vital to full mastery of the mind.
Words of the Institute
Every thought leads to the actions which direct our lives
The Four Ways of The Institute
When a potential candidate for membership first comes to The Institute of Contemplation they travel the prospective Ways that will cover their training and also teach them the ethos that will lead them through the coming years. Each Way is dedicated to one of the four fields of the Institute: Universal, Conceptual, Corporeal and Perception. The Ways each have their own dedicated wings that are often teeming with students and masters alike. Whilst privacy is physically a very difficult thing to achieve within a Way Chapter House mentally each member is attuned to the task that they have at hand and in reality the world becomes a much smaller place. When the tour is over the initiate must make their choice and begin the teachings of that Way.
The Kayreoraz (K – Ree – or – Rass) – The Universal Way
The Universal Path is the way to all others and many consider that this is the simplest to master. There is more to the art than the simple meditative stances.
The Open Gate floods the Mind with potential
The Kayreoraz offers simple training in the meditative arts that allow greater access to ones potential before moving onto what will become your major area of expertise. It concentrates on bringing forward the calm of the mind and forcing our mind into the Astral, seeking new ways of improvement. It proves popular among those who begin their path lacking confidence in their own ability or seeking something beyond the confines of their own mind.
Areas of Expertise
Meditation
Astral Knowledge
Potential
Calm
The Beshdeurdis (Besh – Dur – tis) – The Corporeal Way
Mastery of the mind leads to mastery of the body and those that follow this way master the path that builds a bridge between both.
A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body
The Beshdeurdis provides training in the long physical meditations that build the body to levels of perfection and at the same time separate the mind from such conceptual need for exercise. Training the mind to enhance the physical aspects of body through the alteration of the physical make-up of the self. The Beshdeurdis make up the majority of those psionicists that make their way into the field and take on board combat situations. However they are, equally, those that climb mountains, compete in athletic competitions and swim great lakes to satisfy the efforts of the challenges that they put themselves through.
Areas of Expertise
Athletics
Fitness
Combat
Healing
The Talpheray (Tail – Fer – AY) – The Conceptual Way
By tapping into the heart of the Astral the student is able to sense and utilise eddies of the Astral that dip into the future, the past and the Deep Astral.
The Secrets of the Future are guarded by the lessons of the Past
The Talpheray spend much time in deep, deep meditation, training their minds to find the pockets of power in the Astral that a mortal mind can interact with. The Talpheray specialise in seeking the links between all things calling forth hidden memories from the Astral Realm, sharing the power of warriors long dead, sages far distant and the actions of Kings yet to be born. Through these skills they make their art and use their power to strengthen their own will, knowledge, skills and abilities often to confound and confuse their enemies and enhance the powers and efforts of those around them.
Areas of Expertise
Mental Protection
The Past
The Future
Skill Enhancement
The Orifarakail (Oar-E-Fa-Rak-Ale) – The Perceptive Way
Spreading the gifts of the Astral to ranged beyond the physical form and out into the world around them the student of the Orifarakail becomes Transindentally aware
The mind is quicker than the hand which is quicker than the eye
The Orifarakail have learnt to extend their psychic aura out beyond their body and into the world around them allowing them a unique insight into their environment. To close ones eyes and see all, to shut out all outside interference and hear the sounds or the world coming from distant glades and woodlands. To feel the slight change in the psychic aura as the spoken word becomes a spoken lie, to feel the past of an object and understand the words of any language, yet to be spoken or long dead in the world. These are the ways of the Orifarakail.
Areas of Expertise
Enhanced Senses
Linguistics
Auras
Truths
Role of Institute Members
The Institute trains us in as many abilities as are necessary to assist the Royal Basin in the struggle to keep its institutes functional and its borders well defended. Members of the Institute are still, technically, forbidden to gather in groups of their own making and as such are encouraged to fill different roles in society. Warriors, politicians, leaders, servants; all and more are positions that we are taught to hold and fulfil. However it is also our role to return each year to the guild to join with the Great Circle and leave our experiences for all to learn and to understand.
Ceremonies of the Institute
We are not an old institute but we have our traditions; these are largely represented in the meditations that we master to keep our balance between the dark and the light of ourselves intact. However there is one powerful ceremony that we call the Great Circle that we all take part in:
The Great Circle
When the Institution was granted right by Quinn Shadowreaver and the College of Controlling Power, Shadowreaver College passed to the Institute a huge and pure piece of Variscite called the Circle. Each month of each year members of the institute that have been away from the Institute return in number and join around the Great Circle. through meditation that can last up to three weeks in the examples of the more experienced, the knowledge of the individual is drawn into the Crystal that it may be drawn into the Greater Astral and absorbed by other members at a later time.