Black Hat Blog
A Freeform home for Musings, Thoughts, Stories as they arise.
00 - The Magic of Choice
While everyone knows Black Hats are the coolest faction, that's not the only reason for telling their stories. When we think about the lovely real world we all inhabit, one question I always return to ask is what our brand of magic is. While we can't cast healing spells to save those we love, or send freeze-rays shooting out of our fingers when we're being attacked, there has always been a belief by some that our world is nonetheless magical. Is that a literal belief? Are there some who can 'bend & break the rules' of our universe? Or is it a metaphorical belief? Maybe our magic is science, or technology, or art, or love?
There's a good reason that this question doesn't have a universally agreed upon answer. I'm inclined to think that the question of magic in our world, and many of the other big unanswerables, are a feature, not a bug. Maybe part of the magic of our world is that when it comes to the biggest philosophical & metaphysical questions, a farmer's folktales can go toe to toe with the most modern research. We choose what to believe. We tailor our headspace through creating our own moral code, our own aesthetic sensibilities, our own goals, hopes, and dreams.
The theme of choice is a recurring one in Black Hat Lore. These stories illuminate the fact that we are not born good or evil, but are in a state of being perpetually redefined by our choices and actions. "Let us never fear robbers nor murderers. Those are dangers from without, petty dangers. Let us fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices are the real murderers. The great dangers lie within ourselves.” -Victor Hugo
This is not a new concept in the world of fantasy, of course. I always think of when young Mr. Riddle discovered the secret to splitting his soul and hiding the pieces in disperate objects. It wasn't an incantation to be read, or a ceremony to be performed, or a potion to be mixed. It was a choice, an action, a moral paradigm shift. So it is too for our Black Hat Wizards. No one just happens to become a Black Hat. It's not a contagion of family, community, proximity, or preference. It's a consequence.
For this reason, Black Hats often live a solitary, shadowy existence. They've remained hidden for so long (and so well) that they avoided being added to any canonical documentation on Wizard Factions. It's up to us, then, to tell their stories. Let's begin...
01 - You Have to Actually Touch It
Lydia, a philosophy student, had been studying in the library late at night when she stumbled upon a book on quantum mechanics. As she delved deeper into the book, she came across a section on a little-known topic called "Quantum Synchronicity."
Lydia was fascinated by the concept, which stated that particles could become entangled in such a way that they mirrored each other's movements, regardless of how far apart they were. As she read on, she began to realize the implications of this phenomenon.
She spent the next few hours poring over every book she could find on the subject. The more she learned, the more convinced she became that this was the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe.
But then she hit a roadblock. None of the books had any practical applications for the theory. They were all purely academic, with no mention of how to actually harness this power.
Lydia decided to take a break and clear her head. She walked around the library, her mind still racing with the possibilities of Quantum Synchronicity. As she walked, she noticed a small, unmarked door in the back corner of the library. She had never seen it before, and curiosity got the better of her.
She pushed the door open and found herself in a small, dimly lit room. In the center of the room was a large, metallic sphere, about the size of a beach ball. It was connected to a series of wires and monitors, which were all blinking with activity.
Lydia was both frightened and intrigued by the sight before her. As she approached the sphere, she noticed that it was humming with energy. She reached out to touch it, and the moment her fingers made contact, she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body.
But as the shock subsided, she realized that something incredible was happening. The sphere was reacting to her touch, and the more she touched it, the more it seemed to respond to her movements.
Lydia suddenly understood the true power of Quantum Synchronicity. With the right equipment and understanding, she could use this phenomenon to control the movements of particles, to influence the very fabric of the universe. She felt a sense of wonder and awe at the possibilities that lay before her.
With this new knowledge burning in her mind, Lydia knew that she would never be the same again. She would spend the rest of her life exploring the mysteries of Quantum Synchronicity, pushing the boundaries of science and unlocking the secrets of the universe.
02 - The Lesson in the Lagoon
As his 5 closest friends gathered around, Stephen the Black Hat started speaking.
On God
How is it possible to know God? How does one communicate with God? It starts with the inner voice. This is your true voice. What do you say to yourself silently? How do you dialog with yourself? God will not respond to your internal voice, to your internal questions, at least not directly. But there are clues... traces. Start paying attention to the sound of your internal voice. What space does it inhabit? Which walls does it echo between? This rigerous process of reflection and internal investigation reveals, over time, a maker's mark of sorts. One starts to recognize patterns of the Spirit, which excluding edge-case paranormal phenomena, is the closest we will come to knowing God in the course of our daily lives.
On Relationships
To be in a relationship is to be in a constant state of being diagnosed. This is not a slight against the partner; even the most neutral minded, non-judgemental partner will dance in this endless cycle of diagnosis. The key to a healthy, additive relationship then, is not rejecting, but welcoming the added diagnostic information that comes through the course of a relationship. If we embrace and use it, we grow. If we resist and reject, the relationship becomes imbalanced, and personal growth may be stunted.
Who is a Black Hat?
Everyone. Learn the meaning of this, friends, and a lifetime of endless joy is yours.