The Form of the Wheel-Turning King
"Come forward O Lords of Saṃsāra, you Kings of the World and Masters of the Wheel ... bare your fangs and brandish your sword logic! Summon your Legions and manifest your familiars! Let me see your measure!"
A mage’s Dharma is their sacred, personal path—the ultimate manifestation of their destiny, one that only they can walk. It is an expression of their mastery over the cycle of life and death, Saṃsāra, and the material realm. The Blade Called I is the metaphysical weapon symbolizing their Dharma, representing their will and determination to carve their path through reality.
For a mage, magic is not just a tool but a way of life, intertwined with their Dharma. The deeper a mage delves into their Dharma, the closer they come to awakening their Wheel-Turning Form—a transcendent state in which all the magic, knowledge, and power they’ve acquired throughout their journey come together in harmony. This form represents the mage's complete mastery over themselves, their magic, and the realms they inhabit.
Each realm exists within a delicate balance, governed by the natural order of things. Much like trying to park a semi-truck in a standard garage, a mage's full power may be too great for the realm to contain. To exist within these limits, mages must restrict themselves, disassembling parts of their power so they fit within the realm’s constraints. However, when a mage invokes their Wheel-Turning Form, it is as if they are forcing the semi-truck into that garage, whether the realm can handle it or not. This creates a temporary disruption in the fabric of space-time, known as Kannagara, the realm’s natural attempt to correct the imbalance. The time a mage can sustain this form depends on their strength and how well they can resist the realm's efforts to compress their presence. Some may maintain the form for minutes, while others—those with greater mastery—can hold it for hours.
All realms are anchored by an Eudotree, the Tree of Well-Being. The Kami are the spiritual forces or deities that draw from this source, governing the natural and spiritual phenomena of the realm. Though Kami can manifest in living, dead, organic, and inorganic forms, they are not inherently born from the Eudotree. Instead, they embody awe-inspiring aspects of existence, inhabiting elements like wind, fire, and rain, or even phenomena like natural disasters. The Kannagara is the unaltered natural order of a realm, underpinned by the influence of the Kami. When a mage invokes their Wheel-Turning Form, they disrupt this balance, not only contending with the realm itself but potentially facing the wrath of the Kami, who may see such disruption as a threat to their world. The Kannagara is relentless, a force that exists beyond the desires of any sentient being, aiming to restore order and balance.
Each realm exists within a delicate balance, governed by the natural order of things. Much like trying to park a semi-truck in a standard garage, a mage's full power may be too great for the realm to contain. To exist within these limits, mages must restrict themselves, disassembling parts of their power so they fit within the realm’s constraints. However, when a mage invokes their Wheel-Turning Form, it is as if they are forcing the semi-truck into that garage, whether the realm can handle it or not. This creates a temporary disruption in the fabric of space-time, known as Kannagara, the realm’s natural attempt to correct the imbalance. The time a mage can sustain this form depends on their strength and how well they can resist the realm's efforts to compress their presence. Some may maintain the form for minutes, while others—those with greater mastery—can hold it for hours.
All realms are anchored by an Eudotree, the Tree of Well-Being. The Kami are the spiritual forces or deities that draw from this source, governing the natural and spiritual phenomena of the realm. Though Kami can manifest in living, dead, organic, and inorganic forms, they are not inherently born from the Eudotree. Instead, they embody awe-inspiring aspects of existence, inhabiting elements like wind, fire, and rain, or even phenomena like natural disasters. The Kannagara is the unaltered natural order of a realm, underpinned by the influence of the Kami. When a mage invokes their Wheel-Turning Form, they disrupt this balance, not only contending with the realm itself but potentially facing the wrath of the Kami, who may see such disruption as a threat to their world. The Kannagara is relentless, a force that exists beyond the desires of any sentient being, aiming to restore order and balance.
Effect
Upon achieving the Wheel-Turning King Form, a mage unlocks extraordinary abilities that go beyond the comprehension of most mortals:
- Cosmic Awareness: This heightened awareness allows the mage to perceive events on a universal scale, from planets being born and destroyed to cosmic shifts that ripple through time and space. The scope of this awareness depends on the mage's power—some can only sense planetary events, while others might perceive entire galaxies or even the universe itself.
- Elemental Mastery: In this form, the mage commands the Lower Mahābhūta Transformations, which include Prithvi (Earth), Ap (Water), Tejas (Fire), Vayu (Air), and Akasha (Ether or Space). Beyond this, they can effortlessly summon the Upper Transformations such as Vidyut (Lightning) or Jyotirākasha (Cosmic Flame), bending these forces to their will.
- Net Zero Magical Waste: In normal states, a mage loses some magical energy when converting mana into usable magic. The Wheel-Turning Form changes this dynamic, enabling a perfect 1-to-1 conversion rate, while also doubling the rate at which magical energy replenishes. This ensures that no magic is wasted, making the mage a near-infinite reservoir of power during this transformation.
Side/Secondary Effects
However, this immense power comes with consequences. A mage’s form may be too vast or too intense for the realm, causing them to battle against the Kannagara to maintain it. Additionally, the native Kami or inhabitants of the realm may impose Transformation Edicts that can disrupt or forcibly end a mage's transformation, further complicating their struggle.
Source
To become a Chakravartin, or a Wheel-Turning King, a mage must undergo a profound realization of their Dharma. This realization goes beyond intellectual understanding; it is an internal awakening to their true purpose and the cyclical nature of existence. Unlike those who seek escape from Saṃsāra, a Chakravartin embraces it, mastering its forces to exert dominion over life, death, and rebirth. The title of Chakravartin signifies not just a mastery of magic, but also a mastery of the self. They are Lords of Saṃsāra, rulers of the worlds, who shape and control their destiny within the endless cycle. This mastery is their sovereignty, their ability to control their path in the cosmos, bending the wheel to their will.
As Above So Below As Within So Without Logo by Khali A. Crawford
Material Components
The Blade Called I is the ultimate manifestation of a mage’s will. It is not a tangible weapon but an ethereal sword that represents the mage’s mastery over themselves and their fate. To wield the Blade Called I is to have achieved a unity of mind, body, and soul. It is the power to cut through destiny, karma, and all constraints that bind them to the illusions of the world.
This blade is summoned by those who have truly realized their purpose, making it a tool of unparalleled self-actualization. It grants the power to not only reshape the world around them but also to sever the bonds that tether them to any external forces or limitations. Only those who have summoned their Blade Called I can enter the Form of the Wheel-Turning King, using it as the key to unlock this transformation.
Level
Applied Restriction
N/a
Sources
- Spoiler Button Tabs created by STORMBRIL
- Commissioned Concept Artist & Illustrator Caio Bellim ([email protected])
- Commissioned Digital Artist Xharknguyen | brittaisthebest (@xhark2003)
- Commissioned 2D Artist Maxim Schastny ([email protected])
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