jŭmp·ing – to leap with the soul and land where the body cannot follow.
Specifically the ability to imprint harmonic encodings that represent all ones thoughts, memories and experiences on one’s ālayavijñāna, and then rebuilding this bodymind after reincarnating into a new form. The skill of jumping means to be able to influence the form that is created (often pre-conceiving the form through observation beforehand). There are two primary types of jumping: Near Jumping and Far Jumping. Near is categorized as within the mindsphere (the locations that the bodymind can observe at the given moment) – generally < 100 meters, and within a few seconds either way. Far Jumping is far more complicated as involves taking an incarnation in a location outside of the mindsphere – this cannot easily be done without assistance (umbillicum or other gear, soul link assistance, etc) – as the location must first be observed.
However, Jumping is more of an art than a science – the science long being taken care of.
An example Near Jump in story:
“Rivari smirked as the spear pierced his chest – his almond eyes drifting off into meditation behind the thick spectacles. The Asura looked around nervously, attempting to pull his spronged spear from Rivari’s flesh – but it was too slow. An older man in a tweed suit leaned out from the alley and chanted a short mantra. The last thing the Asura saw were a pair of similar thick glasses on the old man – one of many traits that were reminiscient beyond circumstance - before it was engulfed in flames”
and in play:
GM: “Rivari is stabbed by the Asura’s spear causing 8 form damage. You have 2 coherence left and are fading fast.”
Ted (Rivari’s player): “I spend the turn preparing a jump, distance 3: in the alley behind the Asura, dukkha: 2, form: 1 – I keep the glasses and my pocketwatch, spending my remaining coherence and as much energy as required to pay for that. And I go out with a smirk.”
GM: “You are Frank Peddleton, who was taking a shortcut through the alley on his way home – a scrawny man in his early 60s with wiry short grey hair and a college professor stubble. You have a tweed suit, with a familiar pocketwatch and glasses with a bent rim and an index of well over 1.6.”
Ted: “I’m so through with this guy… I peek out from the alley to orient myself and spend the entire turn chanting my Flame of the Heavens mantra – power 4 on the blue skinned bastard. I really liked playing that Greek.”
It’s important to note that jumping is not the same as possession. The new form has a history and place in the world which the player can ask about or create, but it’s purely conjecture. The individual is always at a moment of low-coherence. Meaning, no one could have necessarily said for sure that they existed or didn’t. As one’s Jump:Form improves, more thought is put into observing the new form before jumping. Mechanically, the jumper is *creating* the new form before observing themselves in it, passing the soul across.
There are 3 primary variables in jumping:
- Distance – the distance (time and space) from the old form that the new form is realized.
- Form – the shape and characteristics of the new form (customization of appearance, skills, equipment)
- Dukkha (unease) – the length and depth of the period of disorientation in acclimating to the new form
The 5 ranks of Distance in a Near Jump:
- Distance 0 – Could be anywhere, anytime within the mindsphere
- Distance 1 – In most situations somewhere discernable (similar floor tiles, etc)
- Distance 2 – Likely somewhere within the bounds of distance 1 that you have been before (vicinity)
- Distance 3 – Somewhere you freshly remember or nearly observe (around the corner, etc – within a turn or a turn’s movement)
- Distance 4 – Exactly where or when you wish to be, the other one being slightly off (different initiative, facing or off by a meter or two)
- Distance 5 – Exactly when and where you wish to be, down to the motion vector (enter in running / falling)
Note about distance: The ‘exactly’ is still within the confines of your mindsphere.
Note about jumping forward (time): You land in your same timeline but to everyone else you are ‘gone’ (short of a few soul link skills and other tricks) in the intermediary time. If no players are present to observe the time passing, the story immediately jumps to the next observed moment in time.
Note about jumping backward (time): Jumping backwards accidently or intentionally is dangerous – if the jump lands beyond the reach of any of your companions’ mindsphere and you don’t have the ability to re-establish a coherence via a soul link – then you create an alternate branch, and your companions’ incarnations may not be powered by the same set of principles (i.e. may not be controlled by the player). This is a breach in the shared reality.
The 5 ranks of Form in a Near or Far Jump:
- Form 0 – You could be anything living within the range of your karmic layer (however, still likely the same species)
- Form 1 – You will come back as the same species, but all variances are open. You can copy a few accessories that are reasonable for the form to have.
- Form 2 – Your form is your choice of species variant (race) within your species. You may copy any accessories that you wish, but only 1 piece of equipment may be moved.
- Form 3 – Your form is any reasonable species of your choice but the variant is random (or see form2). You may move any equipment you wish and create any accessories.
- Form 4 – Your form is any reasonable species or variant. You may move 1 artifact, and create any equipment or accessories.
- Form 5 – You form is any accessible species. You may move any and all artifacts and create any equipment or accessories.
Notes about form: Accessories are clothing, etc. Equipment is things that are useful (guns, food, etc). Artifacts are things you take with you or are generally far more useful (think magic items). The form chosen must still fit within the ranks of skills that you have. You cannot choose to become a giant cthulhu monster that can natively teleport unless you can become big, have multiple arms and can teleport already. This is what is meant by ‘accessible’. ‘Reasonable’ however means fits the setting. A slimy space alien appearing in 1950’s New York would not fit the setting.