The Path of Lead

Coordinate: North (N)
Lineage Correlation: Humans
Crossroad Correlation: Hand

• The Path of Psyche is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Lead.

• You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of the Pistoleer or the Way of the Long Gun – when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

It has taken all of history for the Humans to find their place among the lineages of Mnemos. Despite being a major part of rebuilding society as it is known today, they are still often considered ineffectual, weak, and fragile. Though, after being underestimated for so long, they have finally achieved something all others look upon with respect: they have discovered and mastered a new Path. The Path of Lead focuses on the relatively new invention of firearms: Human-made weapons that helped post-Isolation expansion more than any other single creation. However, travelers on the Path of Lead aren’t just proficient at shooting. By tapping into Mnemos’ magical currents, the Path of Lead allows Travelers to transcend mere physics and find a oneness with their chosen weapons. Masters of the Way of the Pistoleer learn to fire waves of bullets at their enemies while dancing in and out of combat, seemingly untouchable. Masters of the Way of the Long Gun expertly fire round after round from their rifles with deadly accuracy.

The Path of Steel

Coordinate: Northwest (NW)
Lineage Correlation: Darklings
Crossroad Correlation: Hand/Heart

• The Path of Elements is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Steel.

• You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of Bulwark and Blade or the Way of Axe and Spear – when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

None have ever approached the level of martial prowess, discipline, and training methods of the Darklings. Since the days of the Arcanum, even while the power of the Path lay dormant, Darkling soldiers practiced the melee forms that ultimately became the Path of Steel. Those who master the Way of Bulwark and Blade become nearly invulnerable bastions of the battlefield, their unbreakable shields absorbing even the greatest of blows. Masters of the Way of Axe and Spear deal massive damage to swaths of opponents with their two-handed weapons, swiping through lines of enemy troops with single swings of their mighty weapons.

The Path of Bone

Coordinate: West (W)
Lineage Correlation: Wolven
Crossroad Correlation: Heart

• The Path of Ephemera is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Bone.

•  You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of Tooth and Claw or the Way of Stone and Arrow – when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

While there are Wolven who still practice their ancient branch of what is now called the Path of Ephemera, their time away from Mnemos has led them to master the strength and coordination of their own bodies through the Path of Bone. Through the Way of Tooth and Claw, one masters precise strikes with concentrated power capable of disarming foes, crushing throats, and blinding eyes. The Way of Stone and Arrow, instead, concentrates on unerring distance strikes that hamper an opponent’s movement and wears them down before dragging them in for the kill.

The Path of Wood

Coordinate: Southwest (SW)
Lineage Correlation: Sylvan
Crossroad Correlation: Heart/Mind

• The Path of Brass is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Wood.

•  You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of Willow or the Way of Stormwood – when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

The Sylvan once held the secrets of the Path of Wood so tightly that few even knew of its existence. Most who step onto the path do so with a Sylvan guide, as it requires a trip into the Tempest to gather the wood required to focus the magic of the Path. Those who walk the Way of Willow are the givers of life and are usually well received by all people of Mnemos, for their touch can heal wounds, bind broken limbs and - for a true master of the path - even return the dead to life. The Way of Stormwood, on the other hand, offers some respite from the most dangerous force of Mnemos, the Tempest itself, by sensing, confusing and protecting from the creatures within that never-ending maelstrom of fractured reality.

The Path of Psyche

Coordinate: South (S)
Lineage Correlation: Rukhan
Crossroad Correlation: Mind

•  The Path of Lead is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Psyche.

• You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of the Clouded Mind or the Way of the Indomitable Mind - when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

While some paths were gifts taught to favored servants and others were created over years of study, it is said that the ancient Rukhan stole the secrets of the Path of Psyche from their own masters, and that its magic is why they are never to be wholly trusted. While there may or may not be any truth to that statement there is no doubt that, once one learns of this path, what you see and what is real can suddenly become less clear. On the Way of the Clouded Mind, one learns to bend shadow to their will and, eventually, to become the reason that others are afraid of the dark. Masters of the subtle Way of the Indomitable Mind, instead, learn to profit on others’ expectations, warp wills to suit their needs, and even to fade into shadows in the midst of a fight without being harmed.

The Path of Elements

Coordinate: Southeast (SE)
Lineage Correlation: Highborne
Crossroad Correlation: Mind/Mouth

• The Path of Steel is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Elements.

• You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of Ethereal Force or the Way of Material Power - when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

Much like its masters, the Highborne, the Path of Elements is ancient, elegant, and effective. It is said that the Highborne never lost the use of this Path, even during the darkest times of the Isolation, and guarded its knowledge fiercely throughout history. Deriving its power from ancient pacts with elemental lords of the Equilibrium, the Path of Elements is unique in that both Ways learn a basic form of enchantment, allowing the user to imbue the weapons of others with the power of the elements. The Way of Ethereal Force governs fire and air; masters of this Way can scorch enemies with fiery breath, buffet them with blasts of air, and surround themselves with tornadoes of fire that turn away nearly all attacks. Earth and Water masters on the Way of Material Power, on the other hand, can freeze the ground beneath, encase themselves in armor of stone, and even entrap enemies in solid rock.

The Path of Ephemera

Coordinate: East (E)
Lineage Correlation: Saliche
Crossroad Correlation: Mouth 

• The Path of Bone is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Ephemera.

•  You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of Souls Crossing or the Way of Ancestry - when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

Even death cannot sever the ties that bind the souls of the living and the vast bloodlines of their ancestors. When the Saliche first sought the Wolven to expand their understanding of the Path of Ephemera, they sought only to grow these bonds and further strengthen the connections between themselves and their ancestors. In doing so, two discernible ways of the Path began to form. The first being the Way of Souls Crossing, a path fraught with the dangers of calling on those who live in the Calmlands to do their bidding. It is said that to master the Way of Souls Crossing is to gain power over death itself. The other, the Way of Ancestry, grew from the Saliches’ strong desires to connect with their ancestors. With each step down the path to mastery, one will find themselves more attuned to the old lives of those who came before them. It is believed that those who master this Path become one with their ancestors and may even call upon them to receive their aid. No matter which way is pursued down the path, one must always proceed with caution and vigilance as the denizens of the Calmlands are not always so benevolent.

The Path of Brass

Coordinate: Northeast (NE)
Lineage Correlation: Grem
Crossroad Correlation: Mouth/Hand

• The Path of Wood is unavailable to those who pursue the Path of Brass.

• You must choose one Way to pursue – either the Way of Antiquity or the Way of Galvanism - when purchasing the Tier 1 Skill. You may not pursue both Ways.

The Paths, as they are understood now, are considered by most scholars to be a modern variation of the ancient magics wielded by the Arcanum. Some Paths are new creations, like the Path of Lead, and some are preserved in their original form, like the Path of Elements. The Path of Brass, carried through an artifact portal by the Grem, is both. The Way of Antiquity draws upon the ancient power of Aether: a universal energy which once powered the Artifacts of the Arcanum to open portals, charge devices, and even block the flow of energy that powers Paths. Conversely, the Way of Galvanism is a purely modern discovery which uses an energy referred to as ‘Spark’ to keep bodies alive, charge objects to explosive overload, and even animate special mechanical objects.