In addition to these four Paths made by Kahar-Djin, the rest of the pantheon created eight more Paths: Chern's Path of Squalor, Transcendence of the Self; Yir's Path of Perfection, Transcendence of the World; Ymon-Thal's Path of the Soul, Memory of the Self; Avestra's Path of Nature, Memory the World; Alatadriel's Dance of Flame, Expression of the Self; Petr's Path of Reflection, Expression of the World; Timorin's Path of Emotion, Application of the Self; and Grawissen's Path of Knowledge, Application of the World.
Spoiler: The Path of Squalor
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One who travels this Path has been brought low by the cruelties of life, and has from their hardship discovered that the true nature of divinity lies in a god's detachment from the limitations of the mortal form. Though all things must die and decay, the potentiality of a mortal can never truly fade so long as a soul remains to drive them. Therefore the practitioners of the Path of Squalor seek to hold themselves together through sheer force of will and mortal tenacity.
Threshold Zero: the requirement to attain this threshold is simple; the mortal must be in some way permanently diseased or disabled. Cripples, lepers, the blind, the malnourished, the unsound of mind, and many others who suffer are eligible for the Path of Squalor.
First Threshold: at this point the traveller has learned to overcome their ailment through sensible self-medication and a disciplined lifestyle, to the point where they can lead a normal life. The crippled learn to move unimpeded with the tools at their disposal, the lepers keep themselves bandaged and clean, the blind hone their other senses, and so on. This kind of self sufficiency is an achievement worthy of its own threshold, and indeed many will cease travelling the path here now that their ailment has been overcome. However, there is more for those who seek it.
Second Threshold: those who have adapted to the limitations of their body, but regardless continue to pursue the path, begin to develop robustness against further ailments. Poisons, diseases, injuries, and sustained poverty no longer harm the traveller. They can eat anything and live anywhere, without suffering as they once would have. This threshold cannot be attained through a sensible lifestyle alone, one must seek out ailments and apply them in small doses to increase resilience. Activities like flagellation, fasting, and the limited consumption of poisonous or diseased substances are all necessary to reach this threshold.
Third Threshold: this threshold comes fairly quickly and naturally after the second threshold; now, instead of merely being able to live with suffering, the traveller thrives in it. The poisoned grow stronger, the diseased fitter, the addled more focussed. At this threshold one gains the ability to perform a blood sacrifice, spilling their own blood to become temporarily superhuman.
Fourth Threshold: a sacrifice is required to reach this threshold. The traveller must intentionally inflict another permanent ailment upon themselves, something that even their supernatural robustness won't help them to recover from. This time, however, their damage is compensated for by a spiritual replacement. Someone missing a hand gains the use of a single spectral hand to move things telekinetically, someone blinded gains an uncanny sight that surpasses normal vision, missing a leg might grant the ability to levitate, and so on. Further sacrifices can be made for the same effect.
Final Threshold: the traveller has now sacrificed so much that a normal mortal would be as good as dead. But this traveller is no mere mortal any more. The traveller may now forgo their mortal body entirely, projecting a wholly spiritual manifestation of themselves that has all their sacrificed abilities while being immune to the effects of the physical world. Once their physical body finally dies, the transcended soul is then free to do as it wills, exempt from the cycle of reincarnation similarly to the other paths (not sure if these guys would be on the council too, I'll let Kahar-Djin decide that).
Spoiler: Path of Perfection
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Those who travel this Path believe that the true power of divinity lies in a god’s perfect natures, so immutable that the world cannot affect them and instead shifts to their will. To come close to the divine in their true eternal perfection is impossible, but to achieve a small sliver of it on this world is possible through constant judgement of one's self and those around them and perfection in as many things as possible. Those that walk this path may use magic, seeing it as any other talent to be perfected, but may never walk another Path again after starting to walk this one (for all other Paths are imperfect and flawed), even attempting to walk along this path strips those immortal masters of other paths of their talents in what they had learned; however, gods may walk along the path of perfection as well as other paths as normal for them (though it does them little good).
Threshold Zero: Those that would walk the path of perfection must believe that they need to be perfect, must be perfect, that the flaws of the world can be used against itself, and must have some talent that they are currently perfecting. Singing, swordsmanship, dancing, music script writing, anything that can be perfected qualifies. Other than this there are no requirements.
First Threshold: The perfectionist at this stage is able to see the flaws of those around them and in themselves, only a demi-god or full god being too naturally perfect to be the target of their cynical eyes. As long as the perfectionist has some degree of skill in any broad field (music, combat, magic, paths, ect), they may exploit the flaws of others around them with a simple glare to make them fail in any attempt (voices cracks, swords miss, spells fizzle to no effect, ect); however, a large enough gap in skill can make it more difficult for the perfectionist to disrupt (using paths as an example, anyone of the third threshold would probably be too skilled for a perfectionist of the first to disrupt).
Perfectionist of this threshold also show skill in many mundane or magical fields (though not whole schools of magic), never faltering in knowing what they need to do to obtain more skill in whatever field of their choice.
Second Threshold: Those perfectionists of the second threshold have truly looked upon their bodies and have perfected their physical forms. They've reach the height of normal physical strength and speed their bodies can produce, gone beyond that and have over time improved their own physical features to be the height of what they consider perfectly handsome/beautiful. The perfectionist's body is so perfect that the world refuses to let it be harmed by anyone. Those wishing to harm the perfectionist find it hard, even past their glare, for a shining light appears at the last second protecting them from any attack that targets them (attacks not targeting them are far more effective). Disease, scars, and permanent injuries are outright impossible to inflict upon a living perfectionist unless the person doing so is at the height of mortal power (masters of a school of Su sorcery, masters of a path) or are a divine.
Those that would try to manipulate the exceedingly large egos of the perfectionist of this stage find it impossible unless they are a divine being or complete master of all the schools of Su sorcery.
Third Threshold: The perfectionists of the third threshold have set exceedingly high standards for themselves and have yet to give up or lower these standards for years. Most show a high degree of skill in many skills or fields of knowledge, but that is not an actual requirement, only the move towards perfection for years is.
At this stage the world in awe actively starts to suit the perfectionist's needs, letting the perfectionist manipulate the external qualities of the world and the minds of people around them. Matter near the perfectionist may have it's outer properties changed at will (an example might be making an apple glow or light on fire), and people have their opinions subtly shift towards the perfectionist's far more easily and quickly that could otherwise be accomplished.
To reach the next threshold the perfectionist must proclaim that they are a master in multiple skills or fields of study (at least three). Anyone else that would be a master in any of the same fields must be confronted by the perfectionist and proven inferior for at least a year before they properly obtain the abilities of the fourth threshold. While being proven inferior at any particular moment does not strip the perfectionist of their power, not focusing on reaching a state where they are superior will strip the perfectionist of their power; it does however hinder the progression of their path (they cannot reach the fourth threshold until they are superior in what they proclaimed mastery in). The only ones that a perfectionist may allow to be superior to them in any particular field they have proclaimed mastery in are immortals, fifth ranked perfectionists, demi-gods, and gods.
Fourth Threshold: Perfectionists that have reached the fourth threshold have become something greater than most mortals, something close to the divine. Something so perfect no longer needs to worry about wounds, the glowing (literally glowing) ego of the perfectionist absolutely refuses to let anything harm them, and even if something manages to harm them, they can recover from that damage in an instant. Their actions are completely under their control, perfectly coordinated no matter the situation.
While the other thresholds were obtained through the improvement of the self, only through teaching at least three others to be masters of what they study while remaining superior can a perfectionist move to the fifth threshold. Many perfectionist cannot bring themselves to teach others in fear of teaching someone that may be superior to them at something, but those with true confidence, wisdom, and skill will persevere.
Fifth Threshold: These semi-divine beings have perfected the mastery of their own egos, no longer needing to prove themselves to others and actually lose the glow of their ego (though the damage negating effect remains). Perfectionists of this level have such control over their surroundings that it is like they are tiny gods playing in sand, the laws of reality simply being what they wish it to be; however this only applies to the immediate area of the master perfectionist and any changes they make fade in short time (immediately disappearing if they die). Masters of a school of sorcery, masters of a path, immortals, and divine beings cannot be directly affected by this. Perfectionists of this threshold are only affected by age if they wish it, and their souls disappear when they die (to Yir they say).
Spoiler: The Path of the Soul
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Those who travel this Path have understood that life and death are not opposites and that a soul is the same whether living or dead.
Threshold Zero: In order to embark on the Path of the Soul the traveler must have a near-death experience — close enough to almost enter the Passing — in order to fully realize how small a change death truly is. Most travelers experience this and then decide the follow the Path but there are those who intentionally try to achieve it. Few survive.
While it is technically possible to walk the Path for an entirely new soul, in reality it's near impossible since they lack the memories of previous lives to guide them.
First Threshold: As someone reaches the First Threshold the barriers separating their souls' different lives begin to weaken. The traveler usually start having dreams and flashbacks about any previous lives and time spent in the Passing. At first, they are more symbolic than literal and by focusing on these half-memories during mediation a traveler is able to interpret them better and better.
Second Threshold: By the time a traveler reaches the Second Threshold their ability to interpret memories of the past is almost perfected and the memories have become much clearer and less symbolic. The dreams and visions come more and more often, though the traveler still lacks control over what is shown.
Third Threshold: A traveler passed the Third Threshold interprets their memories of past lives as easily as those of their current life and by meditating they are able to search their past lives for answers to specific questions.
Fourth Threshold: Travelers who have reached the Fourth Threshold remember all of their lives with perfect clarity. They are also able to leave their mortal bodies through deep meditation and briefly glimpse into the Passing and speak to its inhabitants. With practice, it is possible to reach specific souls.
Final Threshold: In addition to remembering all of their earlier lives travelers at the end of the Path can recall and use any skill they possessed in a earlier life, including physical skills and even sorcery.
Those who reach the Final Threshold can also travel freely between the world of the living and the world of the dead, though they leave their body behind if they enter the Passing and if left for too long it may die. If that happens the traveling soul is left to roam the world and the Passing, neither dead nor alive. Such a traveler can speak to both living and dead but never physically influence either world.
Spoiler: The Path of Nature
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Assist Kahar-Djin with +2 nature to create the Path of Nature.
The Path of Nature
Those who travel this Path believe that the true power of divinity lies in the realisation of the oneness of the self and the universe and one's connection with all living beings. Rather than being encoded in a scroll, the path is available globally through the treewhisper network, with Avestra's Perch being the ultimate source. It can also be transmitted orally by practitioners. Unlike the four paths of Kahar-Djin, its practice is compatible with su-sorcery.
Threshold Zero:
To enter threshold zero, the traveller must possess at least a basic fluency in treewhispering. This can either be acquired at a young age by immersion in a forest environment, or by diligent study later in life. Furthermore, the traveller must take an oath to only take life for nourishment or in self-defence and to otherwise live in harmony with nature.
First Threshold:
Upon reaching the first threshold, the traveller is able to use advanced treewhispering skills, such as passing messages through a forest, and also can communicate with animals on a basic level through body language and imitating cries.
Second Threshold:
Upon reaching the second threshold, the traveller is able to communicate with most animals as if they were their own species. The utility of this can depend the intellect and social abilities of the species in question.
Third Threshold:
Upon reaching the third threshold, the traveller has the ability to go into a trance and let their soul temporarily enter the local treewhisper network. Animals will now usually follow the adherent's bidding, provided they have the intellectual capacity to understand the instruction. Additionally, at this level the traveller will begin to regain fragmented memories of any past lives, though in an indistinct manner.
Fourth Threshold:
Upon reaching the fourth threshold, the traveller's soul is able to stay indefinitely within the treewhisper network and travel long distances, provided that their physical body is nourished and watered by a willing volunteer. All wild animals will instinctively avoid harming such a practitioner and some may even spontaneously offer aid in times of need.
Final Threshold:
Upon achieving the final threshold, the traveller will come to realise their true place in the universe and the circle of life. They will remember their past lives in great detail and be able to draw on knowledge from those lives. All living beings will be soothed by their calming presence, although strong-willed mortals can resist this.
When the traveller feels the end of their journey drawing near, they will begin fasting in preparation for the final ceremony. They will be placed beneath a tree, where upon death, their soul will be able to roam freely across the treewhisper network, providing a source of guidance for future generations.
Spoiler: The Dance of Flame
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The Dance of Flame, and Embracing Happiness:
Those who follow ‘The Dance’ embrace the beauty and fleeting nature of a flickering flame. Throwing their body and soul into vibrant, electric dances they can harness the power of fire both inwardly and outwardly.
Dancers live by a simple creed. It still lies etched into the stone where the first dancer was said to have been met with a divine vision of a heavenly flame in the ballet school of Al-Setor. ‘Life is sacred. Everyone should enjoy theirs’. Dancers usually travel in small groups putting on traveling shows to gain money as they expound on their philosophy of a happy life. At the core, nearly all dancers advocate a form of hedonism, but these can vary drastically from dancer to dancer. From advocating an austere life of simple pleasures to believing a life of virtue would cause the greatest happiness as you pursue higher mental pleasures, to advocating that seeking the most happiness for the world will not only create a better world but the greatest happiness for you.
Threshold Zero: Alatdriel would not give the power of flame to anyone. Three requirements are needed to understand the dance along with abstaining from Su Sorcery.
The first is the most obvious, the outward element of The Dance is simply to be a master of dancing. The Dance does not care for your style as long as you throw yourself fully into it.
Next are two inward elements, the first is to Embrace Happiness. This more or less means that you must have a peaceful soul and able to appreciate the value of life, a smile, a child and all the good things in the world.
The second is a test of self-discipline so that the flames will not consume you. You must take a red hot brand press into your skin creating a solid and strong marking somewhere on your body.
First Threshold: Gaining mastery over the flame of life, a dancer can use the oxygen in their own blood to fuel gouts of flames they can expel from their own body with little harm to themselves. While it is a most remarkable technique it is only possible due to an intense training regimen that each dancer must take before they can even set a single light in their thumb. During this period, they learn a breathing technique where even a shallow breath can bring oxygen to replenish the depleted oxygen in their cells so that they may continue their dance throughout the night.
Second Threshold: At this level, the body and soul start to emulate the sacred flame. Outwardly, your body can move faster than the human eye can follow, and with a flexibility that outpaces any mundane contortionist. The body itself may flicker and lengthen beyond its normal limits for moments before returning back to normal. Along with this, they can control the color and shape of the flames they expel.
In their quest to live a Happy Life, Dancers have learned to ignore or weather various painful but inevitable aspects of life. Their body is more resistant to blows and the fire burning within can nourish them for several days without food, water, or sleep without any ill effects. Their body is at a constant 100 degrees without any negative side effects.
Third Threshold: Through self-discipline, training and learning to share happiness with others a greater understanding of The Sacred flame allows you to control the size, heat, intensity, speed, and direction of not only your own flame but others around them. They are however bound by fuel as any other flame would be.
The fire burning within burns stronger than ever. Through concentration and rapid movement, a Flame Dancer can set their flesh ablaze with no ill effects, with the same effort they would be able to boil any liquids they are touching including the liquids of their own body.
Fourth Threshold: Your flame burns at 10% the strength of The Heavenly Goddess. You can ignore pesky things like the need for fuel as you can sustain the flame with your will alone.
The Fire within is not just burning but has become a quintessential part of you. You’re not only able to set yourself ablaze but able to turn parts of yourself into fire itself at a moment’s notice.
Final Threshold: The fire within slowly overtakes your body as you realize that you have little need for one of flesh. You transcend such petty things as you become a spirit of pure flame burning at 33% of the Strength of Alatadriel. If a Flame Dancer ever reaches this point they have achieved true immortality so long as their peaceful soul subsists, and typically spend their days inspiring other hopeful artists.
Spoiler: The Path of Reflection
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The world is like water. Ever changing, ever flowing from something to the next. Followers of the path of reflection believes that the world and the divine are the ripples upon a surface of a pond. Expanding ever outwards, changing as the ripples meet, and ultimately, by reflecting upon all the changes, one can trace everything back to the true source of all things. Travelling the path requires tasks of mental, physical and emotional discipline. It requires a sacrifice of the self as an immutable constant, and instead requires one to view themselves as an extension of a whole, and a mirror reflecting life.
Threshold Zero: To begin walking the path, the disciple must embrace the philosophy of a hated person. The most grave of social sins. Reflecting the truth as accurately as possible. They must embrace honesty and never knowingly tell a lie. They must elaborate on matters as well as they can, and do their utmost to ensure their intentions are genuinely understood. No lies by omission, or by vague wording. They are not required to answer fully. They may still refuse to answer a statement. But they may not put their own well-being ahead of the truth.
Threshold One: Those who have embraced the costs of honesty, who understands the difference between what is good and what is pleasant, and who is willing to continue the path regardless of these costs, will now find that their devotion is being rewarded. They can pick up the faults in written words. They catch the inconsistencies between that which is spoken, and that which is done. They can't be lied to, not even unintentionally. They always know when someone is hiding something from them. Their flexibility against the harsh lessons of truth have also given them new insights into the Su'Sorcery of Water. While words may never hurt them, sticks and stones may still do harm. Water will help divert those blows.
To continue the path, one must travel the world, see other cultures and gain an understanding of them. This requires spending at least five years among cultures not ones own.
Threshold Two: After spending years experiencing different cultures, the path of reflection teaches one to not just understand, but reflect those cultures. A traveller can act in ways that make them undistinguishable from any culture they've lived among for more than a year. They also become skilled at impersonating others, reflecting their mannerisms, speechpatterns and quirks. The world around them also begins to slightly, subtly, reflect upon them. If they are sad, those around them feel sadder, and if they are happy, those around them seem happier.
Their Su'Sorcery is also strengthened, now allowing the water to reflect force visited upon them.
To reach the third Threshold, they must create a ripple, some kind of action that extends outwards effecting the world around them, and then follow at least one of it's consequences for five years.
Threshold Three: After watching how one action has consequences that ripple eternally through the world, it becomes possible to much more reliably ensure the future one wants. The right word in the right place can stop armies in their tracks, topple empires, and avert wars before they even begin. And at the third threshold, those who follow the path of reflection have become really good at knowing what those words are. By telling the right truth to the right person, they can create a chain of consequences that eventually lead to their predicted, desired future. Divine intervention, as well as cataclysmic events that drastically shake up the status quo of the world can throw this chain out of alignment.
Their Su'Sorcery can now perfectly reflect what's done to them back to the world around. If they are healed, they may let those around them be healed too. If they are hurt, all their enemies are hurt the same way.
To reach the fourth Threshold, they must revolutionize the world. Something they do must change the majority of the world in some drastic way.
Threshold Four: The world is a puppet, and the walker of reflection is the puppetmaster who controls all things mundane. They weave plans within plans to forge a future of their own choosing. They understand how all that is mundane work together in an intricate system. Their understanding of the laws of reality means that their plans can only be thrown off course by the direct intervention of a God or someone with even greater powers of reflection in the world. And as the world starts to reflect their desires, weak souls near them start to reflect their souls more fully. Just by their sheer presence does the walker of reflection inspire empathy, compassion, and understanding of others.
Even a walker who has only minimal experience with Su'Sorcery can be considered a Master of the School of Water. Water is a mirror which reflects the pure soul of the Reflection walker.
To reach the fifth Threshold, they must complete the cycle and return home where they first began the path of Reflection. There they must locate their old home, their old social bonds and culture, and what might at one point have been their life, and they must meditate on how the journey has changed them, on who they are, and on who they could have been.
Threshold Five: At the fifth and final Threshold, the barrier between self and the not-self break. Like water, the walker of reflections flows to fill the cracks in society, perfectly able to adept to any and every role that they need to fulfill. They become a rarefied mirror that reflects those around them. They can perfectly mimic any non-divine action. They can perfectly emulate the look and build of any person. And without practice, if they see someone do something once, they will be able to do the same thing.
Spoiler: Path of Emotion
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+2 Drama, -2 Fear
The Path of Emotion is about embracing your true self. Those who follow this path will come to understand their wants and desires better than anyone else. With understanding will come the need to embrace one's self. Once embraced, potential is limitless.
Threshold Zero: To begin down this path, one must openly wear a piece of jewelry made of magicite. This may be a ring or a necklace or bracelet. It can be anything really as long as it's magicite, worn, and visible. This becomes tied to them and their emotions. It will change color depending on the wearer's emotions. This reveals how they truly deal, whether they want it revealed or not. Coming to terms with this is part of the process.
Threshold One: Someone at the first threshold is in touch with their emotions and their causes. They no longer feel any shame or desire to hide an emotional response. On top of this they begin to be able to see the emotional aura around others. They become adept at being able to interpret someone's true emotions, despite any facade they may put on. This makes them adept manipulators, counselors, negotiators, etc.
Threshold Two: A true understanding of emotion is needed to reach the second threshold. Someone who has reached this threshold begins to understand the links people have with eachother and things. They begin to see the aural ties that tie people together. Anyone they see who has powerful emotions about an object or person nearby is apparent to them. They know what is important to themselves and others, able to see if people hate eachother or love eachother, or envy eachother with nothing more than their proximity. This reaches down beyond surface emotions, allowing for them to see these connections, even if the people are not aware of the other being there.
Third Threshold: At the third Threshold can begin to change emotions in others. Once they reach this level of understanding, they are able to intensify or weaken emotions. They cannot yet turn love into hate or in any way alter the nature of the emotions, but rather changes the intensity. They can make a few lesser or a joy greater through sheer will.
Fourth Threshold: At this point, their connection to emotion is so strong that they may turn love into hate, lust into fear, curiousity into apathy. Their manipulation of their own emotions and that of others becomes so great that often, people don't realize the change occurred. Most see such changes and assume that their hate had masked their love for fear of being hurt or whatever other reasons people often hide their emotions.
Fifth Threshold: At the final Threshold, the practitioner becomes more aware of how the soul plays a role in emotion. They can see emotions so plainly that they can look back to the root of such things, spanning lifetimes if needed. They may see how their last life ended in their drowning, to explain their fear of water in this life or that two people had been married in a past life and that is why they are drawn to eachother in this one. It may also be within the life.
Spoiler: Path of Knowledge
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Those who decide to walk this path understand the importance of preserving the knowledge. A dedication to study, documentation, and discovery of the beauties of all things that have exist, what’s happening right now and possible futures.
This path does not discourage studying of Su magic or the other paths because they too are also knowledge.
Threshold Zero: The curiosity of basic study, an understanding of civilizations, and a desire to fill in the blanks of lost knowledge.
First Threshold: This is reached when you start to dedicate your life to discovering the mysteries of the world. This makes you more knowledgeable of mistakes from learning from them.
Second Threshold: this is reached when you start to understand much of other civilizations besides your own. This often gives you advantages when talking to other people from other civilizations. Giving you knowledge of how they tick.
Third threshold: this is when you start to hone your knowledge even more and start to achieve new knowledge.
Forth threshold: we start to have a full knowledge of not only today’s life but the entire history of the planet. This helps you give you full knowledge of how nature works, the disasters of the past and how they can be prevented in the future.
Final threshold: you have become a wise Sage. All come to you for your wisdom. You understand more than even the gods about the world. History refuses to take you as you allowed to live for as long as you seek new knowledge.
These Paths were distributed thus: the Path of Squalor to Mila in the No Name Desert, the Path of Perfection to the Sugradi giants, the Path of the Soul to the Yith, the Path of Nature to the Crow People, the Dance of Fire to the Sinalese, the Path of Reflection to the people of Sanctuary, the Path of Emotion to the Cult of the Mad God, and the Path of Knowledge to the Ceratopsians.
Re: Pan-aeons: a God Game
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