Chakrajan

"The People of the Wheel"

**The Chakrajan**, or "the People of the Wheel", is a Tradition observed by magi from across the world and of several organizations. It does not just stand as the beliefs of one distinct group, but a tradition that persisted in many cultures. Contending as one of the oldest Magical Traditions, The Chakrajan, while possessing no centralized organization, survives to the modern day as their main beliefs are carried out by different magi throughout the world. They are intimately devoted to the forces of death, rebirth, destiny, and karma in the world. They represent a collection of warriors, necromancers, priests, assassins, scholars, and healers that follow this set of beliefs. They are also known as Zhuǎnlúnren by the Chinese, Tenrin’jin by the Japanese, and Euthanatoi in Europe, as some Chakrajan accompanied the Romani migrations to the west.

## Origins and History

The Chakrajan date their origins to the Indus Valley Civilization, around 2900 BCE, and while they originated in the Indian subcontinent, the Chakrajan spread its influence around Asia, even reaching as far as Japan throughout the ancient and medieval eras. The closest the Chakrajan had to a centralized organization was the Shyama Sangeet or the “Music of the Night” , a Chakrajan sect  and an order of assassins that devoted themselves to the Hindu goddess Kali. They operated from the 900s to the middle of the 19th century, when a coalition of Vajrapani and Martyrdom Inquisitors magi burned down their Temple. The surviving Shyama Sangeet “scattered to the winds” as a result, and many have joined other organizations for survival and perseveration of their order, such as the Shiai-shi.

There are still multiple sects of Chakrajan around the world in the modern times. Sects across history rose and fell, but the tradition continued. *"The World is drowned in seas of red, and yet the Wheel keeps turning"* is a phrase many sects propagated, taking the destruction or disbandment of previous sects as simply part of the cycle of death and rebirth. Chakrajan operate as freelancers, usually in small groups or pairs, as well as vigilantes that “bring the Good Death” to those that stray from their Dharma and spread corruption and evil in the world.

Across the centuries, several Chakrajan sects,

## Beliefs

Chakrajan beliefs were greatly influenced by Hindu beliefs, but were able to adapt to different cultures as they spread outside of the Indian subcontinent. However, it is easier to explain them through the Hindu concepts.

The Chakrajan believe a person's Dharma describes their purpose and place in the Universe, what they are meant to do and the rules by which they are to live. It is in fulfilling their Dharma that the Chakrajan find enlightenment, and in doing so, strengthen their connection to the Root of the Universe, or in the Shyma Sangeet’s case, Kali and the Void. Thus, what they use magic for is as important as the tools they employ. For the Chakrajan, magic is simply one of the tools that needs to be used alongside others for enlightenment.

The Chakrajan see it as their duty to push the Cycle forward, removing sources of disease, corruption, and misery from the world in order to quicken the turn of the “Wheel of Ages”. This means judging when a person's moral degradation has grown too harmful to themselves or others to be allowed to continue, and when it is appropriate to deliver the “Good Death”. It is not uncommon for the Chakrajan to be healers in the past, putting down victims of plague and diseases with magic. It is also not uncommon to see Chakrajan operate as assassins that take advantage of being paid to do their duty in order to continue their life-time responsibility.  The Chakrajan are not complacent about this responsibility, and are painfully aware of the risk of corruption and spiritual degradation, but they know their work is necessary and that they are the only ones for it. To the Chakrajan, theirs is a sacred duty, one that must be carried out, but is so strenuous and terrible that only the most strong-willed can perform it. It is not so much that they take on a right, as they take on a burden: responsibility for pain, for release and for renewal.

The Chakrajan embrace the role of death in the world as that which cleanses and makes way for future growth. Most believe in the reincarnation of souls, meaning death in one life is not to be feared and in fact may be crucial to one's spiritual development. Even those who do not share this belief recognize a continuous cycle of death and rebirth throughout life, and accept that at times death may be necessary to end suffering. These mages guard the moment between life and death. They believe that Existence is a spinning Wheel of Death and Rebirth. When something, or someone, interferes with the Wheel's motion, the obstacle should be removed. The method of removal may be as simple as a kind word or as final as murder. To them, death is not the end; death is an end. There isn’t much good in an existence that will serve no purpose, and there is less good in an existence that brings pain or trouble to everything it touches, so it is for the best to end that thread and let a new one take its place than allow it to take up space. Suffering and sorrow ruins the picture that it is the Tapestry of the Universe, and renewal means these threads will be rewoven into it. Every person must take up their burden, surpass it and accept the responsibility to deal with this inevitability. Their responsibility is the willingness to support and shelter others, and to perform the duties necessary to release those who only bring or know suffering.

The Chakrajan view weapons are symbols of power. Holding a weapon with the intent to make some use of it exemplifies a will and the obligation to perform an undertaking. Using a weapon in combat brings a Chakrajan mage face to face with death, mortality and the ethics of killing. Chakrajan employs a large variety of different weapons, turning them into a symbol of their work.

### Jhor, the Decay of Death, Taint, Soul Corruption

Known by many names by different groups, the Chakrajan believe in a concept of Jhor, the inward-turning taint, the rotting that comes from casual acceptance of death and destruction, a powerful negative energy that pervades the Chakrajan who become too callous, too revenge-driven, or too distant from the eventual hope of rebirth. Jhor is said to taint the thoughts and the spirit. Chakrajan believe that everyone experiences it, consciously or not. But by the nature of their duty, followers of the Chakrajan tradition commonly experience it more than your average person.

Because of the dangers of Jhor, most if not all Chakrajan seek out methods of clearing their mind and exercising a balance between idealism and realism in their duties. Some take the more traditional method and practice meditation in their spare time, others take up hobbies such as gardening or hiking. Some even go to video games. When the killing begins to etch into their minds, every Chakrajan has their own method of finding “that place they can cope with”, a place or a state of mind that keeps them away from the evils of the world.

### Structure

The Chakrajan were already made up of diverse sects, and the loss of the Shyama Sangeet’s temple simply reinforced the decentralization of the tradition. Some Chakrajan choose to create groups and hierarchies, others simply operate under master-apprentice partnerships. In the present, there is no all-encompassing hierarchy or organization that all Chakrajan adhere to.

### Known Chakrajan and their sects:

* Jaimi Kalimohan - descended from the Shyama Sangeet
* Caius Chua - Bǎi Dìyù Shǔ
* Hannibal Asante - Vatariri Verufu