Session Three: Rogue of Changes

I was watching 'The Man in the High Castle' on Amazon Prime, a pity it was but one episode. Looking for more information, I was both comforted and stunned that Philip K. Dick used to the oracle to help him write his novel. In some cases he let the oracle decide his  novel. The author even commented that he did not like the direction the oracle took the story.

Thanks to all this, I discovered an old friend.

Since the age of 15 (going on three decades) I have been an avid reader of the Yi Jing oracle. The book is my deserted island book. That being the only book I would take to a deserted island. I have at least a dozen translation of The Book of Changes, and fantasize about writing my own (perhaps another blog?) With this in mind, I thought I would follow in Dick's footsteps and hand over my Scrawl to one of my oldest friends- the Zhouyi- the Book of Changes.

For those not into this oracle, or any oracles, I will not bore with the changing lines or anything of the sort. I will simply catalog the basics and how they appear on rpgsolo.com. That online oracle did have a few things to say and I add a bit of commentary:

Asking about Murk's adventure. Hexagram 6 Conflicts, disputes the courts, there is no doubt that Murkstav will be encountering many many swords on his journey through this dungeoness. Nor will this change. What will happen next, I draw 48-46, he descends into the well for drink, the water is clean the way is clear and he will ascend because of this. What does he seek? He seeks to retreat, 33, 3 to chaos the dreaded 12. He retreats his wound is poisoned and there are bandits waiting at the entrance... Inferior men, common thieves. How does Murk get out of it? 49.6 to 13. A Shedding revolution, sheds his skin like a leopard on the inside, there is a deep change on the inside. Murkstav realizes full well that he is no better than the bandits before him. How many bandits does he face? 2 = 2_[d2]

Are there two bandits? Yes, and...

>Will-o-wisp.

Murk is poisoned and he fighting at a good only, he is up against two guys and that is a great in my book, does he make it? Yes.

Yes he makes it out of it, solidly, there is something else in the room. A whil-o-wisp, fast little sucker. Note: How does Murk change inside,

Create.

Conclusions:

• This will be a crawl of constant obstacles. To take from the Tarot "Full of Swords".
• Murkstav retreats into the bowels, into the well of the crypt.
• He is poisoned, rather severely.
• He faces two bandits and a will'o'wisp.
• In order to defeat these he must change, have a creative revolution from within.
• Is he just a bandit?

I plan to write up this little instance very soon but I wanted to illustrate how perhaps K. Dick had written 'The Man in the Castle'.