Euthanatos

Overview and Paradigm It’s hard to accept the fact that, one day, consciousness as every human knows it will end. Death, to most people, is a terrifying unknown that must be avoided at all costs. It’s little wonder, then, that people look into the eyes of a Euthanatos and suddenly grow cold. The Euthanatoi know death, and they know that it must and will come. Sometimes, these Mages bring death with them. More often, though, they bring the potential for rebirth, for the seeds of creation in the remnants of the past. The Wheel of Fate carries us through life and death, and it is wrong to prevent that wheel from turning freely. Death is not the end, death is a door. There isn’t much good in an existence without purpose, and even less good in an existence that brings pain to everything it touches. Better to end that thread and let a new one take its place. The Tapestry – the interweaving threads of reality – form a great picture, but suffering and sorrow mar that picture. Their responsibility is to support the world, and to perform the duties necessary to release those who only bring or know suffering. It is a duty, not a pleasure. Many Euthanatoi place a great deal of trust in probability and fate. A life may depend on the flip of a coin – if it doesn’t come up the way you want, then fate doesn’t want it to happen anyway. Other Euthanatoi may use magic, devices, and logic to determine whether a soul can be redeemed, or if it is best to end it now and allow it a chance at a more fulfilling existence through reincarnation. Euthanatoi believe in the Wheel of Fate – that beings pass through many forms and lifetimes on their way to fulfill their final purpose. A person who gets stuck on one point of the Wheel, who refuses to advance toward their purpose, slows down the Wheel for everyone. Not all Euthanatos magic involves killing, either – in fact, if a situation can be healed without shedding blood, all the better. Remember that their purpose is not that of killing, but of healing – separating the diseased material from the healthy, so the healthy can thrive. Better to cut off an infected limb than to let the whole organism die. Their focus is not only on the individual, either. The world is constantly changing, but it too can be held back by social diseases. The Euthanatoi make an effort to identify these areas and end their problems, thus allowing society to heal and grow. As the world descends further into darkness and degeneration, however, this is a losing battle. The driving force of a Euthanatos is duty. They are fully aware of the consequences of what they do, and each time these death-Mages take a life, they must be certain that it is the right thing to do. The choice is final, and the people left behind must live the rest of their lives with the loss of the victim – not an easy thing to deal with. Understanding the consequences and the benefits of the Good Death – the death that heals, the end that brings new beginnings – is vital. There’s a reason the Euthanatos pay so much attention to emotion, calculation and certainty in their actions: Jhor. All Mages gather Resonance from their actions, but the Euthanatos in particular gather Jhor as they deal with death. Jhor is the death-taint, a feeling of death and morbidity, an obsession with death which can suck the life out of a Euthanatos and leave them as an emotionless killing machine. Thus lies the critical paradox of existence as a Euthanatos: to enforce the need for death, to be proud of the job done, but not to enjoy the killing itself. The Euthanatoi cannot savor justice, cannot enjoy a well-done death, lest they lose themselves to the lure of death, the lure of Jhor. Most Euthanatoi are acutely aware of the irony – by killing monsters, they become monsters themselves. The Fall and Reconciliation Given their association with the sphere Entropy, the Euthanatos were neither surprised nor were they disturbed by the events in the Fall. To them, everything is in a perpetual state of decay and the Fall was simply the wheel doing what it does naturally: turn. Sometimes the rotations are so small that they are imperceptible other times it's like an earthquake. The Euthanatos responded to the Fall with their well-known detached grace, doing what it is they have always done: kill. The Euthanatos seized the opportunity to advance their spiritual agenda. In the chaos, targets that were difficult to access became vulnerable, letting Euthanatos assassins take them down with ease. The Euthanatos' strikes were quick and merciful and the Euthanatos grew powerful and prideful because of it. Current Status For the Euthatnatos, the Fall was a grim celebration, a fact that disturbs and infuriates their Council compatriots who mostly regard the Fall as tragic. Nonetheless, their insights and understanding of how things fall apart have been instrumental in the metaphysical post-mortem of the Fall so popular in Council circles. The Euthanatos see it as their duty to enlighten their cabal mates at every opportunity. Sub-Factions: Chakravanti The oldest of the organized Thanatoic sects, the Chakravanti define their Tradition’s identity, and remain the tenders of the eternal. They existed even before the Himalayan War, and maintain their ways while encouraging the Tradition to find the Wheel’s path in an ever-expanding array of cultures and methods. They look for the meaning in chance events, often using ancient mystical techniques such as near-death experiences and journeys into the underworld to better understand the flow and effects of karma. Their numbers include both the youngest and the oldest of the Euthanatoi. The Chakravanti still make up the majority of the members of this Tradition and their flexible style and ability to thrive and incorporate technology into their paradigm have maintained their position as leaders of the Tradition. Madzimbabwe The Great Zimbabwe citadel once served as a meeting place for all the Mages in southern Africa. The Madzimbabwe continue to hold to the ancient ways, listening closely to ghosts and helping the dead find eternal rest. A spirit who refuses to move on holds back the Wheel as much as any living being. The members of the so-called ‘Court of Ghosts’ often speak directly with ancestors and the spirits of the recently dead. Since they know that life does not end with death, they do all they can to help spirits find their place on the Wheel, so they might be reborn. The Madzimbabwe have a strong presence among African-Americans in LATMA and maintain ties to the Dreamspeakers as they share a shamanic paradigm. Hierochthonoi Although the Euthanatos are commonly seen as using Vedic customs to describe themselves, the Greek Arts have always influenced the Tradition. These Priests of Fate stem from Greek history, the Olympic pantheon, and the Roman Empire. They were the source of the Tradition’s name – Euthanatos, a Greek word. Now they continue keeping the traditions of pre-Christian mystery cults alive, following the ways of those few bands of ancient peoples who were willing to dip a finger into the barrier between life and death. Though small, the Hierochthonoi have seen resurgence in both the Bright and Dark areas of the world. With the exposure of supernaturals, Sleepers again crave immersion into the mysteries. Aided These Euthanatoi were born in the history of Celtic Europe, surviving the inquisitions there. They are known as the Bards of the Death-Tale, and were once druids responsible for the ritual sacrifice of kings, as well as such metaphorical deaths as the killing of winter to allow spring to come. True to their culture, they believe that every being is bound by Geasa which direct them to their true destiny. Great power comes with great destiny, and a fool who breaks his Geasa dooms himself. The Aided have all but died out during the Fall, though there are still some Euthanatos who trace their linage back to these Bards. Those still around maintain ties to or have joined the Verbena. Vrati These factions, the Oathbound to the Wheel, did not arise from history; each was created to serve a specific need. Many Euthanatoi strive to be recruited into their ranks, where they can serve the Wheel of Fate directly, whether as assassins, sages, or diplomats. These are Mages with purpose, although their purposes may vary widely. When their task is done, they may rejoin another Faction, but more likely they will find another branch of the Vrati in need. Responsibility is addictive. Vrati function much the same as they did before the Fall. Elite Cabal: The Golden Chalice This elite faction of assassins traces their origins back to Byzantium and Troy. They specialize in alchemy and planetary motion, which they use to neutralize powerful Nephandi and the corrupt elites of Sleeper society. They divide further into the Alpha and Omega Protocols: the Alpha dealing with subtle missions, and the Omega excelling in brute force. Entry into the Golden Chalice begins with training that puts Navy SEALs to shame, 24 hours a day for two weeks. Any Euthanatos who survives and meets the approval of the masters may count himself as an elite among elites. The Golden Chalice is as active as ever was, if not more so. They often function as a strike force for the Council and the Tradition a like. Foci and Style The central rite of the Euthanatos is the Good Death. How this is done wary quite a bit between individual Euthanatei. Some prefer to strike quickly and painlessly, without any warning. Others prefer to do it slowly, while they are explaining what is happening and praying for the victim. And some Euthanatoi prepare their victim months in advance, and slowly build up towards the moment of the Good Death. They can spend much time just to create the exactly right setting and feeling, often giving much thought to the exact way the victim dies and how it will feel. Euthanatos often help others to live their lives to the fullest. This may also be done in many ways, with great individual differences. Some 'adopt' people, follow them and try to discreetly help them in the right direction. Certain Euthanatoi have followed a family in generations. Others just walk around, helping anybody they feel deserves it. Still others engage in humanitarian projects (or rather, in what they feel is humanitarian. This may not be what anybody else agrees with.) In general, the Euthanatos dislike fixed rituals and ceremonies, preferring to use their common sense and intuition. They are almost always concerned with individual people and practical things in their theurgy, unlike the other traditions. The Euthanatos feel that their work is leading mankind forward directly.