Primer of The Traditions

In the year 1425 hundreds of Mages from around the world came together is what is known historically as the Grand Conclave. These wise men, women, and children put their heads together and consorted magic into nine Spheres the Awakened. To each of these Spheres was conjoined those groups and sects whom had mastered those Spheres into one cohesive Tradition, Nine Traditions in total. Though I could not truthfully say I know everything there is to know about each of the Traditions, I have made them my focus of study and can tell you quite a bit. Enjoy your read and, hopefully, you'll walk away from this Primer a bit more knowledgeable than you had been. Dame Samantha Wainbridge Order of Hermes.

The Akashic Brotherhood
Master Sphere: Mind

The Grand Conclave was attended by mystics and sages from China, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, and India. These mystics had a view of the world in common: that a man can only achieve Ascensions and perfect harmony with the universe by aligning mind, body, and soul. To master himself, a man first had to master his mind. Thus, to them was given the Sphere of Mind and the Tradition of The Akashic Brotherhood.

The foundation of their system of belief remains today. The general stereotype of an Akashic Brother is of a bald monk wearing orange robes and doing fantastical, almost unbelievable, feats of martial arts and martial arts weaponry. While it is very true that the Brotherhood revolves around the martial art style known as DO--which every Brother is mandated to learn--they are not all fighters and esoteric thinkers. Medical personnel, teachers, law enforcement officials, movie stars, and stuntmen all stand in the ranks of The Akashic Brotherhood, likely the most united and uniformed of the Traditions. To be an Akashic Brother means a self-devotion and self-dedication of bringing mind, body, and spirit into unity with the Higher Self, the Avatar. Only when such perfection is achieved can the Akashic Brotherhood then unify and save mankind.

The Celestial Chorus
Master Sphere: Prime

Present at the Conclave were ranks upon ranks of monks, sages, clerics, and acolytes with a religious point of view. They argued that there should not be any count of Spheres but rather an acknowledgment that all magick come from The One, the Supreme Being. To them then was given the Sphere of Prime and the title of The Celestial Chorus. The Chorus suffers under the heavy weight of being seen as insufferable bible thumpers that refuse to yield to others' belief system. Five minutes of talking to an Adept of Master of the Celestial Chorus will dispel that mental image.

The beliefs, and the Choristers themselves, come from all walks of life and status in society. I have known Choristers that were Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Jews, and backyard preachers. What unifies them is their belief in The One, a higher being or essence (depending on whom you're speaking to) whom out of grief for disobedient and rebellious children shatter Himself or Herself into millions of spiritual shards than then rained own on earth, to imbue chosen messengers of hope with power. With Magick, and we Awakened are those shards.

Of all of the Nine Traditions, the Celestial Chorus is the first to move out among the Sleeper community and save them through good works and theology. They work in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, churches, hospitals; anywhere they can do that allows them to reach out and help people in need. Once those Shards are found, once we have all Awakened, then humanity can Ascend and be part of the paradise of a whole One.