Spires

As the Vulgate grows more abstract, sharply defined structures interrupt the view. Called the Spires by most, they appear as ridges, mountains or towers originating in the Vulgate, ascending so high into the Astral Umbra that their peaks cannot be seen from below. The Courts, heavens, hells and such are built on, in or as part of, the Spires. The coarsest elements (fire and brimstone, harps and fluffy clouds) sit low on the Spires nearly in the Vulgate. The Epiphamies drift around the peaks and beyond. Those who would reach the Courts must travel through the Spires. Cosmologists theorize that the Spires are the result of many minds ofvarious sophistication all concentrating on the same idea. A medieval European farmer, for example, would have a very different concept ofHeaven than Mark Twain, but the two men's visions would still build on the same foundation. A great many fictional places -the Mythic Realms described in ChapterTwo-intersect with the Spires along the "border" between the Vulgate and the Courts. In the Eastern Court Realm, for example, Chinese folklore, Hong Kong films and the Umbrood Heavens blend together almost indistinguishably. From one Astral Court, a traveler can reach into related MythiC Realms, and vice versa.

To climb the Spires, envision yourself doing so; to your mind, it'll appear that you're wandering through a series of caverns, halls and stairs leading ever upward. Flying or floating is possible if you know how. Remember, this is a metaphysical trip, not a physical one. The Spires simply represent an ascending state of consciousness. There is, as I've said, an upper limit to this climb; physical and spiritual travelers freeze solid or fade away before they reach the Courts; only those ofsound mind can go further, unless the explorer crosses through some portal linking the Realm to the Earth. According to the stories I've heard, people killed in the Spires wander between Realms forever, denied access to any of them. In other words, ''be careful! ''